Noots
by she-dies-at-the-end
Summary: Following his discovery that he may be in love with Judy, Nick gets talked into visiting her family during a fall festival. He struggles with exposing his feelings to her while adjusting to her crazy family and meeting the locals. Will he confess and potentially destroy his friendship or does Judy feel the same way about him?
1. Chapter 1: The Punchline

Chapter One "The Punchline"

I have the setup for the worst punchline in mammal history. Two cops, a fox and a rabbit, are on their way to visit the bunny's family, who hate foxes. The bunny cop is super excited to finally introduce her partner to her family, who worries about her everyday. She's also completely unaware that the fox cop is mad pants in love with her.

The punchline? I'm the one who _offered_ to go with her.

Yeah, laugh it up. Usually I'm smoother than that. But considering I'm still coming to terms with my feelings for Judy this week, I think I'm owed a few lapses in judgment. And when she comes at you with those wide amethyst eyes, how exactly are you supposed to say no to anything she says? I really should have just kept my snout shut. Story of my life...

But I'm getting ahead of myself and introductions are in order.

Nick Wilde. Ex-con artist turned cop. That one's not another joke, if you can figure it out. You can blame the bunny for it, actually. She's the one who put the idea into my head.

" _You know, I think you'd actually make a pretty good cop."_

Imagine this. Nick Wilde, con artist of Zootopia, going along on his own just fine for twenty years making $200 a day selling popsicles. The word from one rabbit causes him to drop everything he's worked for to sign up with the ZPD. It's like a horrible romantic comedy. I thought I had been numb to the world and all the trash it had to offer. I was perfectly happy making my dirty money everyday and investing it into a playful future. Maybe open a theme park, if I ever raised enough cash. But that one comment changed everything for me and suddenly there was absolutely nothing else in the world I wanted more than to be a police officer. Of course, I didn't know it at the time but I had fallen for Judy back then. Hard.

Looking back at the six months that followed makes me cringe.

The Nighthowler case. Cripes. A rhino performing heart surgery could have gone cleaner than that mess.

It had it's highs and lows, but nothing touched the press conference when Judy outed predators in the interview. Talk about a dagger to the heart. The old Nick would have shrugged it off. Just prey being prey. Birds fly. Sun shines. And bunnies are scared of foxes. But no, I got all upset with her. Like I had never heard the specist agenda before. I really should have realized something was wrong with me at that point. I even had to take a month off to cool my head. I hid away under a bridge for a while, convincing myself it didn't bother me.

And wouldn't you know it? Just when I'm ready to move on with my life, there she is again.

You probably know the rest of the story. We make up. We crack the case. We become heroes. I think there was a Gazelle contest somewhere in that, or was that afterwards? Regardless, the point is we end up as big shots of the city and I sign up for ZPD.

Now, here's the part they don't tell you.

Police academy training is hard. Like, the hardest thing I've ever had to do hard. And I've had to convince a mob boss to purchase a skunk butt rug.

For starters, you're expected to wake up at 5 AM so they can take you out jogging for 6 miles. I was on an IV drip of coffee the first month. Despite running around the city with Judy during the Nighthowler case, I was horribly out of shape. My sores had sores by the end of the first day. By the end of the second, I couldn't feel my legs.

Then, if that wasn't bad enough, at the end of every week they have you take an exam. Most of them are on the study of laws, ethic tests, and traffic details. The usual dry paperwork that your chief punishes you with if you step out of line. Thankfully, when you spend twenty years as a con artist, you tend to know the ins and outs of law so you know where to find the loopholes. Still, there were plenty of nights I had to stay up late to study. The worst parts were trying to sleep alone in the smelly cots they provide you. Even when I wasn't studying and my body was spent, I had trouble sleeping.

The bright moments in all this were the occasions when Judy could break from work for lunch. It was an hour at most. She would talk about work and her cases, which I kept tabs on through the news. I would complain about the academy and make her laugh. It was simple. It was safe. And I loved every minute of it.

Again, you'd think the message would sink in at this point. But I'm a thick fox.

Graduation rolls around and it makes the torture of police academy all worth it. There's Nick Wilde, first fox of the ZPD, dressed in his blues and aviators. He's sipping his coffee, trying to act cool during the graduation speech. Judy is the one at the podem, of course. The look of pride she gave me as she pinned the shiny gold badge on my chest made me want to run the gamut of the academy all over again. My one rule is to never let them see they get to you. But inside, I was a mess of emotions. Some of them I haven't ever felt before.

Fast forward another three months and life is good. Life is real good.

I get to see Judy every day because we're partners and probably the best pairing in the force. We're this ultimate team of smarm and wit, cracking down on cases like we've been officers for years. And folks are starting to notice.

Turns out, mammals will actually give you respect if you're a police officer. Who knew? The city is seeing a real turnover, slow and steady. Sure, it still has its share of bigots. But we're right there on the front proving them wrong and making big speeches against the hate. Well, mostly Judy anyway. I'm just happy to be working at an honest job, earning honest money, and paying honest taxes. Did I mention she got me paying those now?

I got more confident from my work. Not egotistical, that's always been the case. But I began to notice it when I walked down the street. I wasn't this shifty fox with something to hide. Suddenly, I was a decorated police officer and a hero of Zootopia. I also had the best partner I could ever hope to ask for. So, I'm wandering around the streets, blissfully unaware of my own feelings for a certain rabbit.

Then comes Finnick.

You don't go from con artist to cop without losing a lot of friends. I'll always be grateful that Finnick didn't drop ties with me, much less give me the time of day. But if there ever was a smaller fox with a larger mouth…

We make a habit of going out for drinks, on the occasion, to catch up. After one drink, and being less than half my size, Finnick removes what little filter there is on his mouth and speaks his mind. This was last weekend and it's been about a month since our last round together, so it's been awhile since we've seen each other. Finnick is doing well enough without me, running his hussles with some dopey wolf. They're small time, so I'm more than happy to look the other way and Finnick knows which lines not to cross. He hasn't changed a day since we ended our partnership. But those aren't the words he has for me when he looks me down after a few months on the force.

"You've gone soft, Nick."

We're well into our rounds into this point, but the words still sting a bit. Nick Wilde has never been soft. He's been sly. Clever. Sleazy. Cunning. Charming, on the occasion. But soft?

"Now you're just being insulting, Mr. Toot Toot."

"Nah. Since that rabbit hustled you, you've been a changed mammal. I ain't ever seen anyone clean up their act so quick."

"What's your point, Finnick?"

Finnick's leer was something akin to a creepy old mammal from an H. P. Loveclaw story.

"You totally got the hots for that bunny butt."

The night ended shortly after that. I remember being very bitter on the walk home, internally calling Finnick a few colorful words before making my way to bed. Sleep didn't come any easier with the alcohol performing a grand orchestra on my head. Not that I had a particularly restful six months. I was pretty used to the insomnia, writing it off as nerves from a sudden change in career and lifestyle. But that night, instead of dozing, I was wide awake.

I kept thinking about what Finnick had said with his hoarse laugh.

I scoffed at the idea. Nick Wilde fallen for a rabbit? The old Nick would have laughed himself into a coma. But then, when I looked back at what I had accomplished in the last year, it was pretty unbelievable. It takes a heck of a motivation to drop twenty years of work on a whim. I started to question why I was a cop and what I saw in this new career. Old Nick would have never come up with doing police work for a living, much less enjoying it.

I thought about Judy and all that she had done for me. Then came the thoughts about her features. Her soft ears. The moments she would genuinely smile at me that made me feel like melting. She could take one of my jokes and laugh. And the times when her eyes were wide while her nose twitched…

Uh oh.

Finnick was a hundred percent right and the realization hit me like a semi accelerating onto a brick wall.

There wasn't any sleep that Sunday night and I needed a gallon of coffee just to keep me going the next day. It scared Judy, that's for sure. I don't think she was used to seeing a sleep-deprived fox, and it isn't pretty. I wasn't much for conversation and didn't dare to even look at her. I was still in denial at that point, after all. Eventually, it became clear to Judy that something was wrong she drove me home from work early with the order to get some sleep.

Tuesday was better. I still couldn't look at Judy, but that's what the aviators were for. I was afraid even glancing at her would cause me to explode in a ball of orange fur and nerves.

It's not like I've never had a crush before, but that was way early into my career as a con artist. After several failed relationships, I sort of mellowed out into my twenties. I still dated on the occasion. But being a hustler doesn't scream long term benefits for the vixens. By the time I was thirty, I just figured the right one would come to me. You sure hit that nail on the head, old Nick.

All of last week was awkward for both of us. There was the upcoming four day weekend to look forward to. But there was an unspoken strain in the air between the two of us. I forced myself into talking with her, just so she would know it wasn't anything that she had done which upset me. I would fake laugh and joke with her, half the time not knowing what I was even talking about. She could probably get me to agree to anything, I was so tired and frazzled.

Wednesday is where I really, really screwed up. It started with simple small talk.

"So, what are you doing with the long weekend, Nick?" Judy asked me.

I was half asleep from staring at the dashboard. "Huh?"

"The four day weekend. You know. You've been stressed lately, so I was wondering if you had plans."

"Carrots, there is a spot on my couch that needs sitting and TV channels that need changing. That is the extent of my weekend plans. Why? You have something going on?"

"You could say that," she chuckled as she drove the cruiser. "Fall is, uh, kind of a big deal for the Hopps family. There's a lot of harvesting to do before the winter. It's led to the one of my dad's creations. The, uh, Hopps Harvest."

I snorted a laugh. "There's right up there with Bunnyburrow in naming schemes."

"I never said we rabbits were good at naming things. And my parents can be a little overbearing."

"Sounds like you're nervous about it."

"Kind of. This is my first year away from them. I'm the first Hopp to move to Zootopia, so I really don't know how they're going to react. I get the feeling they're still bitter I haven't come home yet and given up on my dreams in the city."

"Want me to come with you?"

Nick. What are you doing? Stop.

Judy gave me an out. "I don't want to interrupt your break, Nick. I know you need it. And I don't know how my parents would react to you. I've told them all about you but…"

That had bad vibes written all over it. Old Nick would have just agreed with Judy. But there was a troubled frown on her face that made it so I couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Carrots, I'd be happy to go. I'll show your folks what a good, honest fox of the city looks like. They'll never send you a worried phone call again."

I spent a good hour back at my apartment screaming and pulling at my fur. Me and my big mouth. Perhaps it was my ego that got me to run along with such a horrible idea. But it was more likely me looking in Judy's worried eyes. I knew keeping my gaze from her all week was a bad idea. One glance at her had me trembling at the knees.

That trend carried over to the next day too, when I tried to backpedal on my promise to go on the trip. Just looking at Judy made my tongue shrivel up in my mouth. ZPD should just employ female bunnies. No one would want to commit a crime ever again.

I was resigned to my fate by the end of the day.

I spent all of Thursday night packing for the four day trip and trying to get some sleep. On Friday morning, I dragged myself out of bed to make my way to the train station, where I met up with Judy.

Thus, we come to the punchline of my joke.

There's Judy, excited to finally introduce her family to her fox partner. And there's me, trying to keep together and look happy, all while struggling with these new feelings. I kept on a smug smile as we boarded the train, trying my best not to betray the ball of wriggling worms in my belly. Judy bought my calm persona and was overjoyed just to have me with her.

"I haven't been home since the Nighthowler case," she said as we ascended to the top deck of the tram. "Even though they keep calling me twice a day."

"Trying to prove a point, Carrots?"

"It's always a battle with them. You'll see when we get there."

"Have to admit, I'm a bit nervous about meeting them." Nervous? Hah. That doesn't even begin to describe half of it.

"Just be yourself."

I raised a brow to her. The gesture was not lost on Judy.

"Okay," she corrected. "Maybe a little less smarmy."

Normally, I would have followed with a quick joke, but I wasn't in the mood to come up with something witty. Judy frowned and joined me as we looked out at the view.

Fall had come into its full bloom with the trees outside Zootopia wearing a vibrant orange and yellow display of fireworks amongst their leaves. You didn't get much of a chance to admire the foliage in the city. The weather of Zootopia could change just from walking down the street. It was the con of having a tundra and a desert just a few blocks away from each other. In truth, I could barely remember the last time I ventured out of the city when it wasn't for business. Judy caught my stares out the window and smiled.

"What do you think? Of the trees?"

The sky was azure and cloudless, making the sun shine through and illuminate Judy's form next to me. I didn't often get to see her out of her blues, like most of the other officers never saw her not working. She only had on jeans and a purple sweater. But she was a sight that could captivate me more than the splendors of nature before us. Her eyes were just as big and hopeful as the day I met her. She had that darn positive attitude that never faltered.

And that made me want to make sure she never did lose a spark of happiness.

"Beautiful," I commented, returning her smile. I wasn't talking about the trees.

"There's more when we reach the farm. Dad will probably have the tractor going, giving the kits a hay ride. Then there will be pumpkin pie and cider."

Her eyes glazed, as if she was lost in a memory before she snapped back and looked up at me.

"Thanks for coming, Nick. I promise this will be a trip you won't forget, at the very least."

The reality sunk in that I was on a train fast approaching what I had determined was my certain doom. These were the folks who had armed their daughter with fox repellent before sending her off into the city. Fox repellent! In this day and age. And I not only had to somehow get along with them, but manage my own feelings towards Judy in the span of four days. I did the math in my head. The earliest train out of the burrow would leave around seven in the morning. It was ten now and we'd be arriving around noon. That left me ninety one hours stuck in the sticks.

"I've had worse," I shrugged, speaking to both comfort Judy and myself.

Judy was satisfied with my response and turned to take her seat, leaving me to the window. I had the better part of two hours on the train to sort out my feelings for her.

And something told me I was going to need them.


	2. Chapter 2: Bunny Butt

Chapter Two "Bunny Butt"

How was I even supposed to approach this?

Hey, Judy. It's me, Nick.

So, I totally have the hots for you. I know you were touchy around foxes just a few months ago, but do you want to catch dinner some time? Oh, and let's completely disregard your parents who would probably go into cardiac arrest if they ever discovered you were dating a city fox. It's cooooool.

Not to mention I'm like ten years older than her, though you wouldn't know it by looking. Then there was the problem with being co-workers and how Bogo would handle it.

The more I talked to myself about how to handle this, the more impossible it was sounding. I mean, I'm smooth. But it felt like everything was stacked against me from the start. Why, oh why, did I have to fall for the bunny with bigot parents?

The answer continued to elude me, even as we pulled into the station.

Judy had passed out in the chair next to mine, iPaw playing Gazelle in her ears. I spent most of the ride fiddling with my phone, uselessly hoping something on the internet could give some ideas. But, truthfully, I was just looking for a distraction. When the train lurched to a stop, Judy scrambled awake like her alarm clock had gone off. I bit back a snicker. Judy would hit me if I said it out loud, but she was absolutely adorable when flustered.

"Relax, Carrots," I said for her as much as myself. "We're here earlier than expected."

I silently cursed bunny efficiency for the train reaching the burrows fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. If even the trains were premature in the sticks, I wasn't looking forward to seeing what else the weekend had in store for me.

I expected the burrows to be endless corn fields as far as the eyes could see. I was pleasantly surprised to see mountains a ways off in the distance. The trees that dotted the landscape were a beautiful golden hue, with leaves just starting to fall. But I knew I had entered bunny territory just by the architecture of the train station. Everything. Had. Bunny ears. Where a sensible mammal would construct a point at the tips of the fences and roofs, the rabbits had molded two loops. It felt like a thousand hares were looking down at me, judging the fox that had entered their sacred homeland.

The architecture was overshadowed by the crowd forming outside the train.

Rabbits and mammals alike trailed out of the vehicle and scrambled in different directions of the station, making it feel like I was still in the packed streets of Zootopia. I could lose myself in a place like this. If that weren't enough, the sign plastered proudly at the train station revealed just how outnumbered I was.

"Eighty two million, three hundred thousand, seven hundred and fifty one," I said, reading the number as it steadily increased with each passing second. "Population of Bunnyburrow?"

The logistics alone were staggering. It was like someone had done the sign as a gag and not really considered just how problematic such a dense population of rabbits was. I turned to Judy with wide eyes.

"Please tell me that's just a joke."

She just laughed and changed the subject.

"Come on. We should get to the farm and help out."

"Help out?"

"See all these folk?" Judy gestured to the crowd of animals around us, though I had to follow her by her ears sticking out of the mob like two shark fins. "This happens every year during the festival. Country-born rabbits come to visit their families for the seasonal festivals and city folk want to look at the trees and get a taste of the country life during the long weekend."

I pushed my way past a pair of sheep just standing in the way and blocking the flow of traffic. Talk about hitting the ground running.

"So, what you're saying is, I'm one of these stupid city folk who you can take advantage of?"

"I never said that!" Judy had on a big grin on her face. "Though I have to admit it's more crowded than it usually is this year."

"Sounds like a problem."

"Actually, it's very good for business. Mom and dad will probably make a killing this year. The fall harvest is the biggest spike in sales and let's us prep for winter. All _eighty million_ of us."

I couldn't tell if she was joking or not.

The crowds dispersed as we left the station. Judy guided us along a dirt road, towards the northern fields. Every direction looked the same to me and I was suddenly grateful to have her as a guide. Once you saw one carrot farm, you saw them all. And they continued for miles and miles around us.

It was so quiet in the country that I could actually hear myself think. With the murmur of the crowds left behind us, there was only the music of tractors in the distance and the occasional flock of birds flying south. There was nothing to distract me from my thoughts as Judy led the way. It took an immense of self control to not leer at her bouncing, fluffy tail.

Life returned to the farmlands as we approached another crowd of animals down the road.

At a glance, it looked like they were assembled in front of a food stand off the side of the dirt street. Most weren't rabbits and I would recognize a Zootopian accent anywhere. Judy was right. Her family's farm was an absolute tourist hot spot.

A familiar voice attempted to silence the herd. "Can I please get a single file line? Thank you!"

I first thought it was Judy speaking until I spotted a female rabbit at the counter of the stall. She was a far cry from Judy's duplicate, with a softer figure compared to what the rigid police workout routine provided. I would know, given I started to develop abs since joining the academy. The rabbit had darker fur around her nose and ears compared to Judy's light grey hair. But I knew they were sisters by the eyes. She shared the same hopeful lavender gaze that I had fallen for. Must be a family trait.

Judy chuckled as she guided me to the front of the line, earning us some dirt looks from the mammals who had been waiting there for awhile. Her sister took notice of me before Judy.

"Sir," despite the country accent, there was something warm and polite about her voice. "I'm sorry, but I'd have to ask you wait in line. It'd be rude to the other customers."

"Oh, come on, Jenny," Judy finally caught her sister's gaze. "I'm sure you can make an exception for family."

Jenny's businesswoman smile turned to a coy grin. "Oh, good. Reinforcements have arrived. How are you doing, Jude? Actually, tell me while we work. I could use some help back here."

"On it."

The sisters didn't waste more words and Judy skidded over the top of the counter to join Jenny in the back. I followed suit. The stall was bunny-sized and allowed me to step over the table with relative ease. Though I did manage to bump my head on the sign nailed above.

"Careful there," said Jenny before shooting Judy a sly look. "Gone for almost a half a year and then you come back home with a fox? Mom's going to flip."

The blush I caught on Judy's ears untangled some of the worms wriggling in my belly, even if what followed was a firm denial.

"It's not like that! He's just my partner."

"Ah?"

"My _police_ partner!"

"Uh huh..."

I was already starting to like Jenny. Especially if we shared in the similar hobby of driving Judy nuts.

"Well, go manage the register, Jude, and I'll get _your fox_ situated back here."

I sensed Judy wanted to put up more of a fight, but to make a bigger fuss than she already had would only give Jenny more ammunition. As Judy stomped to the front of the stall, her pudgy sister held out a paw to shake.

"Jennifer Hopps. Judy's older sister."

"Nick Wilde," I replied, offering two fingers to accommodate the smaller mammal. "I can see your sister has said nothing about me."

"On the contrary, Mr. Wilde. I was just being coy with her. Judy talks about you all the time and we Hopps all know who you are. Hard not to, given the whole town practically idolizes Judy."

As if on cue, Judy called from the front of the stall. "Jen...Would you care to explain why my face is on a cookie?"

Against my better judgment, I snorted a laugh.

Judy was holding up a golden, home baked carrot cookie. The treat was made in the shape of a rabbit head, with room for both ears and a small police hat between them. The icing had painted the face of a smiling rabbit, obviously meant to be Judy. It was the real Judy's drooped ears and bitter glare contrasting the cookie that made me chuckle.

Next to me, Jenny held her composure better. "Do you like them? It was Gideon's idea. That's not all though."

Our eyes trailed to the rest of the counter and we could see just what was being peddled at the food stall. Besides the typical fall goods—apples, pumpkins, and loads of carrots—a majority of the display was baked treats. I saw some traditional stuff, like pies and apple doughnuts. But the real sellers were the desserts under the sign 'Officer Hopps Sweets,' if the empty tins were any clue. There were even some plastic police stars scattered around the table for aspiring kits. I was honestly surprised there weren't any cap guns either, to fit the police theme.

Judy summed up her outrage in one word. "Why?"

"Well, you don't go starting some waves in the city without feeling the ripples out here in the sticks, Jude. What did you think was going to happen when you suddenly made it big in Zootopia? You're the biggest news for hundreds of miles. Just be glad you didn't get to see the bunny butt cake. That was a best seller."

"Bunny butt…," The meaning of the words suddenly processed for Judy. I watched the blush spread from her ears to her face, like the fuse of a dynamite.

A slight concern nudged at my thoughts and I leaned in to whisper into Jenny's ear. "This Gideon fellow didn't come up with that one too, did he?"

"That one was his sister, actually. Don't worry. She's her own brand of odd."

It relieved me that I didn't also have competition for Judy's affection to deal with. Though, judging by Judy's face, she had some choice words for the baker of said cake. I didn't want to be in their shoes.

"I…," Judy tried to speak. "You...That…"

"Customers," Jenny warned Judy of the growing impatience in line before the stall. "Come on, Mr. Wilde. I'll show you how to spot the good fruits and veggies from the bad."

Jenny's southern hospitality ended up making me relax abit.

Despite the oppressive amount of patrons supplying a never-ending stream of work to keep the three of us busy, I was enjoying myself. I was no stranger to working with my paws and packing up groceries for folks reminded me of the old days when I was just starting out in the city, hurting for extra cash. Judy eventually cooled her head and accepted the fact that her face was a bestseller, though she promised she would speak thoroughly with her parents about such a breach in her privacy.

Conversation picked up along with the work.

I let the two sisters chat on their own for a while, nodding along and speaking only when spoken to. It was actually somewhat odd to hear siblings chit chat with each other and not be arguing. In the city, I'm sad to say, most families have a hard time staying together, let alone seeing eye to eye. I was lucky, born as an only child. But even then I never knew my dad. It was just what was normal for me. Even Finnick was estranged from his folks, being the runt of his litter.

As I listened to Judy, I learned more about her.

I knew she had a big family, but I couldn't say how large until that day. The Hopps had just shy of three hundred kits, some with children of their own. About a hundred of her siblings still lived with her parents, on the main Hopps compound, while the rest were spread out all across Bunnyburrow. Most, like Jenny, found employment working for their father in the fields, while the more ambitious ventured into the town square as shopkeepers and vendors. It turned out Jennifer was the oldest sibling still living in the main compound, having not married yet.

"One hundred kits in one burrow," I muttered aloud. "Please tell me you don't all have names that start with J, too."

Both rabbits chuckled. I obviously missed some sort of joke.

"Nick," Judy explained to me sweetly. "Rabbits with big families name their litters alphabetically. It saves a massive headache down the line when you forget who's supposed to go where."

I tried doing the math in my head. "So, that makes you…"

"The tenth litter in the Hopps lineage," Jenny finished my thought. "I'm their ninety eighth child. Judy is ninety nine."

"Yeah, by two minutes."

"So," I continued, still trying wrap my head around having hundreds of brothers and sister. "Does that mean you have other siblings your age? All with names starting with J?"

"Actually, Nick, I'm from the smallest generation. I only have two sisters and one brother with a J name."

"The J's are the oddballs in the Hopps family," Jenny said with pride. "We almost singlehandedly made our parents question if they wanted to push past having a hundred kits."

I gave Judy a sly smirk. "That explains a lot."

"Har, har...You won't get to meet them, anyway. John is living with his husband in one of the other tri-burrows, where he runs a nightclub. And Jacky never came home since she went to college in Clawnanda, though we suspect she's a professional ice hockey player now."

"Jeez, with siblings like that, you almost sound normal, Carrots."

The small talk continued to do wonders in easing my nerves. It was past noon, and neither of us had eaten anything all day, but the lunch rush continued strong until two.

I wasn't about to complain though. The demand from visiting mammals meant I got to work closer to Judy. She'd occasionally brush up against me, sending shivers down my spine and causing my tail to spike up. Corny? Absolutely. But shut up, I took what I could get at that point.

I think we impressed Jenny by how well Judy and I worked together.

Like in our police work, Judy took the reins, giving me clear commands of what we needed and how fast it needed to be done. She had her speed, but I had my charms. There were more than a few unpleasant mammals at the stand who couldn't deal with more than a two minute wait. Whenever I sensed Judy getting frustrated by their behavior, I'd casually step in for her so she could cool her head. Smooth talking a bunch of yokels into buying something they didn't want is small time for a former hustler. It was a dance I had done many times before. Different stage, same moves.

It was two thirty when the crowd died. Despite the cool autumn breeze in the air, I was starting to pant a little. Standing around in the sun is sure way to overheat when you're wearing a thick layer of fur.

"You alright, Mr. Wilde?"

I quickly stuck my tongue in my mouth before I could make a scene. Panting was one of those things that was embarrassing to be caught doing, especially around other mammals.

"Yeah, just...Thirsty. I haven't had anything to eat or drink since we got up."

"Well, that's no good. And here we're half through the day," Jenny turned to Judy and tossed the keys from her pocket. "Why don't you pull the truck around, Jude? You two can head to the burrow and settle in. I can hold the fort from here."

"Roger."

Jenny grabbed me one of the waters from the cooler. A small reward for suffering through the lunch rush. But a gratifying one.

There was another, unintentional, reward when I glanced over to Judy bouncing to the truck on the other side of the dirt road. There was something mesmerizing in the way her hips swayed to and fro while she hopped. My eyes followed her cotton tail for longer than I would have normally intended, venturing into the range of lustful gazing. To my abject horror, my stares did not go unnoticed.

"Mr. Wilde, are you looking at my sister's butt?"

That's one of those questions when you hear it directed to you, your brain comes to a screeching halt. Suddenly, there is no right answer because denial would make you look that much more like a letcher. If you had a scan of my brain waves at that moment, you'd see a flatline.

"I...No...I…"

As I looked at Jenny, I was jealous. She had a better smug face than I did. The bunny girl was _smirking_ at me and my wandering eyes. I had been caught with my paws in the cookie jar and she knew it.

To my surprise, Jenny started to giggle. "Oh, that's adorable. You two are perfect for each other."

"No," I said, my brain having come back from it's five o'clock coffee break. "You're mistaken. I was...Admiring the truck. That's an old model, isn't it? A 1962 Furd?"

"Oh, don't you try to deny it, Mr. Wilde. I can _smell_ you. You predators always emit such a fragrant musk when you spot a female you're attracted to. So territorial."

My brain was still juggling five things at once, but there was enough critical thought to recognize something was off about Jenny's familiarity with fox anatomy.

"Hang on a minute. How can you even smell me?"

"Oh, please. After you date a few canines, you learn to recognize their odors."

Suddenly, the pleasant country bumpkin bunny didn't look so sweet and innocent.

"Huh...And here I thought you seemed so…"

"Normal?" There was a bit of Judy in her grin. "I thought we told you, we J's are the oddballs of the family. You're not the first predator we've brought home."

Though I could still feel the tips of my ears burning, Jenny's words did a lot to ease my concerns. We watched Judy fumble with the keys in the distance, struggling to get the truck running and completely unaware of our conversation. Did that mean I wasn't the first fox a Hopp had brought home? I certainly wasn't the first with sharp teeth, if what Jenny said was true. Maybe, just maybe, Judy's parents would have a more open mind about me.

"I deny everything," I said, still refusing to admit my crush out loud. "But in terms of getting on your family's good side, your parents…"

"Tough noots to crack."

"Noots?"

"Ask dad about that later when he's more comfortable around you. _If_ he gets more comfortable around you."

Jenny's joyful demeanor faltered for a moment. There was a knowing look of sadness in her eyes as Judy successfully managed to get the engine running.

"I'm not going to lie, Mr. Wilde. Our parents are old rabbits. They're not as far gone as Pop-Pop. But they have plenty of bias. They don't care for my current boyfriend, who's a raccoon. You're going to have to do something very impressive to win them over."

"Fun. Any tips?"

"Be honest with them, they can pick up lies real quick. Humor dad and his dumb stories. And look mom in the eye when she's talking with you."

Judy pulled up to the stall and honked, snapping us to attention.

"Good luck," said Jenny as I grabbed our bags. "You're going to need it."

"Thanks…"

I walked away from the stall, both our bags in my paw. Judy grinned at me, reminding me of the conversation I had with myself on the train just a few hours ago.

How do I approach my feelings with Judy? Well, let's start by getting on her family's good side...


	3. Chapter 3: Family

Chapter Three "Family"

"So, what were you two talking about?" Judy asked as she drove us down the road.

I was cramped in the small bunny-mobile, which was filled with tools for farming and designed to seat someone rabbit-sized. I had been in the vehicle before, back in the Nighthowler case. This time, however, it didn't offer the comforts of blueberries to calm my nerves as I came up with a white lie.

"Trucks."

"Trucks?"

"Yep. I remember this hunk of junk. Your parents have a taste for old fashioned things, huh?"

Not my best segway, but it was enough to get the subject off my major slip up between Jenny. So much for never letting them see they get to you, Nick.

Thankfully, Judy took the bait and she let out a soft huff.

"You could say that. It blew my mind when I saw they had partnered with Gideon. That must have been a huge step outside their comfort zone."

"You sure know how to make a fox feel welcomed, Carrots."

I was still mulling over the tips Jenny had given me.

It was my determination to make a good first impression with the Hopps. I felt like I could only confess to Judy after I was in her parent's good graces, as antiquated as that sounded. I had never met the parents of someone I was interested in before. It was nerve wracking, to say the least.

In a town of eighty million theoretical bunnies, one slip up could bring a literal horde of angry rabbits on me. I could see Judy's parents leading the charge there, with pitchforks and torches, while I was the Barkenstein monster hiding in the windmill.

Judy sensed my concerns.

"I know my family can be a little...Intense. But if they accepted Gideon, why not you?"

Probably because Gideon isn't trying to get into your pants, Judy.

I still couldn't believe her sister, Jenny, smelt me out. Foxes, like most mammals, have our own unique scents so we can communicate with each other in subtle ways. It's all subconscious and unintentional, like how a yawn is contagious. Normally, the smells are discreet enough so that only our own kind can detect them. It takes a powerful nose, or one perverted bunny, to detect the specifics of our natural musk. I could only imagine the trouble Jenny got into right under her parent's noses, and I had to wonder if even Judy realized her sister's preferences.

Jenny sure made me self-conscious of my odor. I took a quick sniff of my pits when Judy wasn't looking. Good thing I brought that Musk-Away with me.

"And just what have you told your parents about me?"

Judy's wince said she hadn't been very truthful with them. Not good.

"I mean, I told them the basics. I said you were my partner. I told them all about how you had joined the force after the Nighthowlers. I made special mention of how you had saved my butt a bunch of times."

"That's not the butt I'm concerned about, Carrots."

"But...I've skirted the stuff about your...Colorful past."

Not good, indeed. "Yeah, that's not sketchy at all."

"I told them some stuff! I mentioned you were a rug dealer at one point and you had been an ice cream man when I met you."

I glanced out to the trees along the farmlands. Each of them had an explosive and charming color to them, bright red and orange. But it was autumn and I knew those trees were dying inside. Just like me at that exact moment.

"Carrots, you're killing me here."

"It'll be fine! Just...Stretch the truth around them a little. Don't listen to dad's dumb stories, they're pointless. And don't look mom in the eyes. I swear, she can stare into your soul."

So, the opposite of what Jenny said to do then?

Judy wasn't exactly inspiring my confidence. Not to mention I wasn't sure if she had the same experience as her older sister. I remembered from our talks over lunch that Judy had never been in a relationship before. So, she probably didn't know what she was doing introducing me to her parents. Even if I was just a friend in her eyes.

"Look," Judy interrupted my brooding out the car window. "They're probably not even going to be home yet when we get there. So, let's work on our battle plan."

There was the commanding Judy I knew best.

"Alright. This is your show, Carrots."

"The older Hopps are all going to be working the fields until five, then they'll all come back for dinner. So, that leaves about thirty kits around the compound. They're going to want to climb you."

"Climb me?"

"Of course. You're a strange new mammal to them. And they outnumber you. So, prepared to be swarmed on our arrival. Pop-Pop babysits them while mom and dad are out in the field. Let's try to avoid him if we can."

"This is the rabbit who thinks foxes are red like the devil, right?"

I remembered chuckling heartily when Judy told me about that particular story. Her grandfather was something of a nut, spouting specist comments like they were commas and forgetting what year he was in. Judy, more or less, had the same expression of shame on her face now as she did back then.

"Right...We'll say hello to the little ones, evade Pop-Pop, and settle into our rooms. I could really use a shower before dinner. When it's time to eat, you'll get to meet my parents."

"Great plan. Can't wait to see how it goes wrong."

"It'll be fine! I hope…"

Our ride continued through Bunnyburrow, which looked the same for miles with few noticeable landmarks to catch my eye.

Eventually, Judy turned down another dirt road and the sights became less like open fields and more like actual farms. I spotted silos and a few wind turbines in the distance, an example of the country doing its best to catch up with the modern age. The most unusual sights were the large hills with windows and doors built into them. It took me a moment to realize those were the literal burrows that rabbits lived in. They varied in sizes, from encompassing entire acres to being just a small bump in the landscape.

Judy slowed when we approached one of the larger hills.

The Hopps compound was something like a baseball field, with clean cut grass and fresh white fences dividing up their land from the neighbor's. The burrow had a front porch built into it, and I spied an older rabbit sitting at a rocking chair. But he wasn't the only rabbit on the farm.

There were dozens of little bunnies hopping around, playing in the acres of land. The oldest were probably twelve, on the cusp of the awkward teenage years. The youngest were six and were incredibly cute, though Judy would give me a dirty look if I told her that. All thirty of them were playing a form of soccer, though with their numbers it amounted to little more than a mosh pit of fluff.

As our truck pulled into the gravel driveway, the kits' ears perked up and I watched them charge towards us.

It was like something out of a horror movie, a herd of mindless zombie bunnies trying to eat our brains. Or, in my case, pull my tail.

The thirty kits called Judy's name, though it sounded more like the hum of a thousand bees to my ears.

"Hey guys, long time no see!" said Judy.

The horde sounded excited to see their big sister by the harmony of their voices combined into one bundle of chitters. I was having a hard time piecing together who was saying what and could only go by the tone of their unified voices and happy faces. They were legion.

"Good to see you all too," somehow Judy could comprehend them all at once. Or maybe she was just guessing what they were saying. "Yes, this is my partner, Nick. Say hello, Nick."

"Carrots," I mumbled under the weight of several kits, who had begun to fight each for domination at the top of my head. "Help…"

I could hear Judy laughing as my life flashed before my eyes.

My ears were filled with the droning of a thousand high-pitched questions from the parasites that had leached themselves to every single inch of my body. I was reminded of the species of bees that would surround a larger wasp to overheat and kill it. It wasn't until I collapsed on the ground that Judy decided to do something to save me.

"Hey guys," I heard Judy kick a ball. "Go and get it!"

I was met with a sudden relief as every single Hopp scrambled to give chase to the soccer ball Judy had kicked further into the yard. I took a deep breath like it was my last and began to pant, not even caring that Judy was giggling over me.

"Good work," she said, collecting herself. "That went well."

"It did?"

"Nick, if they didn't like you, they would have stood there staring at you in fear. I'm actually amazed that they were so quick to touch you. You might have to thank Gideon for that. I have a feeling he warmed them up to foxes."

"Well," I cracked my back, a grim reminder of my age. "Good. I think. One group of family members down, two to go."

Truthfully, making good with Judy's siblings was the lowest on my list of concerns with meeting her family. Especially after things had gone well with Jenny.

Sitting under the burrow's front porch, Judy's grandfather was fast asleep.

Normally, I would have made a smarmy comment regarding sleeping on the job. But after being tackled by a literal kerfuffle, I fully understood the desire to nap when dealing with the Hopps clan.

Next to me, Judy held her breath.

"I'd rather not deal with Pop-Pop right now," she whispered. "Come on, let's sneak past him."

I gathered our bags and followed Judy as we crept towards the entrance into the burrow.

As we got closer, I got a better look at the infamous Pop-Pop. He was exactly how I imagined a hundred year old rabbit to look. His skin was so loose that it was starting to fold, complete with the thinning grey and white fur. He had on a pair of oversized glasses that took up much of his face. I could see that he was missing all his teeth, even his front ones, because his mouth was left ajar. Bugs were starting to fly in and out of his gaping, gummy maw. It worried me that I couldn't see him breathing.

"Carrots," I whispered as we ascended the steps. "Are you sure he's not dead?"

"Nick!"

"I'm just saying, he's not moving. I've seen guys iced by Mr. Big more lively than him."

I was joking, but Judy took my comment with real concern. I guess her grandfather was as old as he looked. She abandoned her initial plan to sneak by and gently shook the elderly rabbit on the shoulder.

"Pop-Pop," she whispered into his droopy ears. "It's me, Judy. Wake up."

No response.

While Judy got to work feeling for a pulse in his neck, I waved a paw in front of the rabbit's face.

"I can't tell if I'm feeling anything," said Judy.

How to wake up a comatose bigot rabbit? There was only one thing that came to mind for me, and I wore a big smirk as I leaned into her grandfather's withered ear.

"Pop-Pop. Fox."

That did it.

Like he was rising from the dead, the elder rabbit's eyes rolled open. A hacking cough escaped his lips as he leaned forward and adjusted his gigantic spectacles. His faded purple eyes were magnified by the glasses and met Judy first.

"Well, lookie here. If it ain't little Trudy come back home. What's a'matter? A fox try to eat you in the city and you come running back?"

Any concern on Judy's face evaporated in an instant.

"No, Pop-Pop...I'm just visiting for the fall festival. And my name is Judy."

The elder rabbit lost interest in her in the way only a senior citizen could. He instead turned his attention to me. I could feel my tail twitch behind my back.

"And who in blazes is this?"

When faced with a stressful situation, my default emotion as a former con artist is smarm. When I enter this state of being, my mouth tends to have a mind of its own and I end up saying something I would regret later.

Thankfully, this was not one of those times.

"Nick Wilde, sir," I extended a paw, which the rabbit ignored. "A pleasure to meet you."

"You got short ears for a rabbit, son."

"Thank you for noticing, sir! You see, I used to have long ears. But they got shot off in the war."

I could hear Judy facepalm without even looking up at her.

"The war, eh?" Pop-Pop adjusted his glasses. I didn't think he was actually going to buy my joke. "A fellow vet, eh? Good to see young bucks fighting the good fight against those dang, dirty foxes."

"Pop-Pop, you've never fought in a war…"

"Hush up, Trudy. How do you explain my amputated leg then?"

"You don't have an amputated leg! I can see both of them right there, look!"

"Aw, that's just cause they sewed it back on. Still hurts like the dickens every morning and when it rains."

"Yeah, Carrots," I said with a sly grin. "Be nice to your vets. They fought so you could live."

She gave me a look that suggested I was in serious danger of losing my life by the time the charade was over. But she remained silent, arms crossed and ears behind her head.

"So, Nickie boy," Pop-Pop stirred from his chair. "Why you so red?"

"Well, it's camouflage, sir. Red lets me blend in with the enemy at a glance. Those foxes could pop out from anywhere, you see. Even in your own burrow! It never hurts to be prepared."

"Smart buck, smart," the rabbit turned his magnified violet eyes to Judy. "Are you marrying this one, Trudy? He's a smart buck. I like him."

Judy's expression of outrage made the trip completely worth it. It looked like her heart had skipped about fifty beats. She stammered for a moment before recovering.

"Why does everyone...No! He's just my partner in the force! And he's a fox, Pop-Pop!"

"Now, that's just rude, Trudy," Pop-Pop leaned to whisper in my ear. "It's the mean ones that always like you most, Nickie boy."

Good thing my fur was already red to hide my own blush. "I'll keep that in mind, sir."

"That's it," Judy growled.

She grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me towards the burrow.

"We're going inside. Stay awake and watch the kits, Pop-Pop. You don't want mom to give you an earful again, do you?"

The old rabbit grumbled something about her mother as we entered the hill. As soon as Judy shut the door behind us, I swore I could hear him snoring.

Collecting myself after the encounter, I realized I had somehow befriended the bigot bunny.

But the thought was quickly muted by the sight of the expansive burrow before me.

When I saw the hills, I had thought that the homes inside them would be cluttered and dirty, especially given how many kits the Hopps family had to manage. But there was a surprising amount of elegance to the setting. We had entered some sort of mud room, with hard rugs on the floor for wiping your feet before you could enter the rest of the house. The walls were a comely blue that soothed and felt welcoming. Best of all was the lingering scent of carrot cake in the distance.

Judy wordlessly guided me from the mud room into the rest of the compound. She still seemed a little sour about Pop-Pop berating her.

I was much too distracted with how the home opened up to me to detect her mood. Past the mud room, the hall grew into a large domed chamber, which I guessed took up much of the hill. It reminded a bit of a business lobby, with more the comforts of home. It was like someone had taken a standard living room and expanded it to five times its normal size. There were several long couches facing a 100 inch TV. At every wall was a series of doors, each labelled with a letter. I also noted that the living room included a large kitchen and dining room, judging by the dozen chairs scattered about a counter.

"You weren't kidding," I said, as I realized the space was meant to hold a single family. "You really have enough room to hold three hundred rabbits in here."

Judy snapped out of her funk with a small chuckle. "Technically, this has a capacity of two hundred. It's pretty empty compared to when I was a kit."

"Are your parents rich?"

"I wouldn't say rich...I mean, we're very well off and business is booming. But we're far from the richest. Pop-Pop is probably the wealthiest bunny in the burrow, actually."

"You're joking, right?"

The elder rabbit hadn't given any impression of upperclass. Even his clothes were old and tattered.

"Not at all. He wasn't in any wars, but he owned a mine in the mountains. He was one of those rabbits who was so involved with his work that he only had one litter, the one with my mom. She thinks that too much time in the mines is why he's a little…"

"Crazy?"

"Eccentric. Dad came from a much poorer family though. He likes to brag about how he essentially built all this from nothing."

"Hence why you ignore his stories?"

"They just get a little tiresome after awhile. Farming is all most rabbits do in Bunnyburrow, but it's never interested me."

"You know, we have stories of mammals who built their way up from nothing in Zootopia. But I've never believed them either. If your dad literally started with dirt pile and built all this, that's something to be proud of, Carrots."

"Well, then _you_ can listen to his tales then. Once you break the ice."

If I broke the ice.

Judy guided me to one of the lettered doors to the side labeled 'J'. My nose told me this was a section of the house that hadn't seen much use. The assumption was added to by the mildew and cobwebs along the ceiling. We entered something akin to a public dorm area, with a few chairs and tables. More doors lined the walls, this time labelled with names. Bathroom, John, Jacklyn, Jennifer, and Judy.

"Home sweet home," Judy groaned as she glanced at the dust in the corners. "I guess Jen isn't very interested in keeping the place clean."

She opened the door to her old bedroom.

I had been to Judy's apartment in the city several times before and it was nothing to write home about. Yet, somehow, it was a manson in comparison to the size of her old bedroom. I couldn't even call it a room with a straight face. It was more a closet with space for a single bed, a nightstand, and a drawer. I could probably reach from one wall of the room to the other with my arms. Despite the plain blue walls, the signs of Judy living there were evident. There were still awards for track and field nailed to the wall, gathering dust. There was even a stuffed rabbit cop at the pillow of her bed.

"Jeez, Carrots. No wonder you don't mind living in that hole in the wall. It's an upgrade."

"You're one to talk. At least I don't have pipes going through _my_ apartment."

We shared a smirk with each other. One of the small talk quips we often engaged in was a continual contest to prove whose apartment was the worst. Truthfully, we both could use an upgrade.

Judy sighed and continued like she was a tour guide.

"There are two hundred and twenty two individual bedrooms in the burrow. All we use them for is sleeping, so there's no sense in wasting valuable space under the hill. As you can see, the bedrooms are divided into dorms by our names. Everytime my parents had a new litter, dad would construct a new wing of the house as needed. Each wing shares a bathroom and two to twenty bedrooms. Laundry is in the basement below the kitchen."

"How can you afford all this? It's like you're running a hotel."

"Not far from the truth, actually. Except we produce our own food and pay rent through physical labor around the farm. It's a well oiled machine that they've had thirty years to perfect."

As Judy stepped into her room, she seemed to just consider my own predicament. There was absolutely no space for both me and her. Unless we were sharing the bed, at least.

"Oh, um, I didn't think about where you would be staying, Nick. I guess…John's room?"

I hid my disappointment as I made my way to the bedroom next to hers.

It was more of the same, if less decorative. Judy's brother had been gone far longer than she had, leaving behind none of his personal effects. The bed was certainly going to have my legs hanging off it, but it was better than sleeping on the floor.

As we got to work unpacking, it came to my attention that I could hear Judy through the thin walls.

Privacy sounded impossible in such tight quarters, and I listened to her every move. She put down her own suitcase and hopped around the room a bit, no doubt taking in the sights of her childhood home. After a few seconds, I heard the shuffling of clothes followed a door opening and closing.

That's right, she said she wanted to go take a shower before we met her parents.

I'm no letcher, but the sudden realization that Judy was wandering around the room next to me naked sparked a curious arousal in me. As I listened to her start the water in the washroom, I could picture her standing there. I could see the shower spraying down her hips as she bathed, humming one of Gazelle's tunes. The steam of the hot bath leaving just enough to the imagination. A deep part of me wanted to be in there with her. Badly.

It would be such a simple thing to do, creeping in behind her. She'd be too absorbed in what she was doing to notice me. I'd be the predator in the mist, hunting for rabbit...

I stopped the daydream before I pounced at her.

"Get a grip, Wilde," I muttered aloud, smacking myself at the back of my head. The predatory thoughts vanished, though the temptation was still there.

Feeling dirty, I dug around in my bag for the Musk-Away bar buried at the bottom. As I coated my pits, I stared at the ensemble of clothes I had brought with me. There was my usual green shirt, slacks, and ties. But I wanted to dress my best for the impending meeting with Judy's folks. Especially after introductions to her siblings and grandfather had gone so well.

Two down, one to go.


	4. Chapter 4: Stonewall

Chapter Four "Stonewall"

"I'm surprised you actually have another pair of clothes," teased Judy. "Here I thought you owned nothing but those gaudy green shirts and your police blues."

Maybe it was a mistake to try to dress for success. But I wasn't going to take any chances. Even with Judy and her siblings hovering over me, mocking my taste in fashion.

I had abandoned my casual greens for something more festive, given the autumn season. I was sporting a black sleeveless undershirt topped by a maroon sweater with an open collar and the sleeves rolled up. Instead of slacks, I had on simple jeans. I figured giving myself a more rustic look would slightly appeal to the down-to-earth Hopps.

Judy had absolutely no right to criticise me, given she had spent an hour in the shower to groom herself before facing her mom and dad. I think she had the same thing in mind as me, after her entire family's reaction to me so far.

Come on, Carrots. You really thought your folks wouldn't go crazy when you brought a fox home with you? Even if we had very different motivations, I could tell that we both wanted her parents to at least accept me.

We were all sitting at the front porch; me, Judy, Pop-Pop, and a few members of the bunny legion.

I quickly learned that there wasn't much to do out in the sticks that didn't involve going outside. Not that I was complaining. The view was beautiful over the farm as the sun got low in the sky for the early evening. The distant sound of tractors winding down for the day made for a rhythmic beat over the farmlands. Leaves were falling, but not enough that it was time to start raking them up. It was the perfect lull between the dog days of summer and the depressing grey of late fall. Judy's company made it better, though having about eight of her siblings taking turns tugging my tail somewhat soured the mood. The others were winding down in their play. I guess even the Energizer Bunny runs out of fuel sometime.

Not that I could blame them. Having only had water that day, I was famished.

My manners prevented me from complaining about the growing void in my stomach. It was a weird chivalrous feeling I often got whenever I was a guest at someone's home. No matter how hungry I was, I would never ask for food. It just always felt like stealing and I never needed more ammunition against me for being a fox.

"It's not too late," I said, both for myself and Judy. "We can run for the train station before they get here."

"That depends. Are you _that_ nervous about meeting my parents?"

"Maybe," I glanced to Pop-Pop, passed out on his rocking chair behind us. "We dodged a bullet with General Hare there. I don't think your parents are going to buy the same story unless I get an ear extension and dye my fur grey."

"It'll be fine. It'll be fine."

"They say if you keep telling yourself something, that will eventually make it true. So, by all means, continue that chant, Carrots. For both our sakes."

Judy let out a sharp breath through her nose as her ears lowered ever so slightly.

I glanced to what she was staring at out on the horizon and saw a large cloud of dirt coming down the road.

Show time.

Her parents pulled up in a vehicle nearly identical to the one we came in on. The biggest difference was the larger space in the back for storage of tools and fertilizer. This also gave room for passengers, and I noticed one rabbit hanging out in the back.

I recognized the darker fur of the bunny we had met that afternoon. Judy's sister, Jenny. And she did not look happy.

Ho boy…

The trend of disgruntled rabbits continued when Judy's mother stepped out of the car.

Bonnie was her name, if I remembered Judy's stories. She was absolutely Judy's mother, from the eyes to the face. Give Judy about thirty years and they would practically be twins. That only made the sour expression of simmering rage that much more painful to look at.

Something bad had definitely happened on that car ride.

Judy's dad, Stu, was about what I expected him to look like. In Zootopia, we had a saying for folks like him. Easy money.

The poor rabbit looked lost, even on his own farm. He was standing between his wife and Jenny, perhaps trying to act as a buffer. It was clear the two females in his party had some ire with each other. He was the first to notice us sitting at the entrance. I recognized a brief look of fear when he glanced at me, but that melted away in an instant as Judy ran up to hug him.

"Hi, dad. Hi, mom. I'm home."

Mrs. Hopps joined in the embrace while Jenny continued walking to burrow.

Jenny strode past me with her head hung low and wouldn't even acknowledge me. The front door slammed with a sickening crunch. That did not bode well.

All of a sudden, my mind jumped to the worst conclusions.

Did the Hopps interrogate Jen when they heard I was coming to visit? Did she spill the beans about figuring out my crush on Judy? Without sharing any spoken words it was hard to be certain, but my tail was starting to get bushy from the building drama beneath the surface.

Judy must have sensed it too. "What's wrong?"

"Ask your father."

Being put on the spot, Mr. Hopps looked like he had been cornered by a rabid predator. Given the look his wife was giving him, I would have preferred the rabid predator. He swallowed and stammered on where to begin.

"Well, Jude, sometimes...Sometimes there's no helping who you fall in love with."

My ears dropped instantly.

"Oh, Stu," sighed Bonnie. "You sound like you're giving her the talk about the birds and the bees."

"W-Well, Bon, I was trying to ease into it!"

"Ease into what?" Judy was still missing the tense subtext. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Jenny is dating a raccoon. And last night, he proposed to her. She said yes."

I breathed a sigh of relief. But Judy was looking more confused than ever as she slowly processed Jenny's elopement.

"Wait, who? When? Jenny has been dating a raccoon?"

"Rocco Larrs," replied her mother. "Apparently, the two have been dating behind our back for the last six months."

"Rocco Larrs," Judy's brow wrinkled as it did whenever she was trying to remember something. "You mean Rocky? That little scumbag used to bully me with Gideon back when I was a kit."

"We know. Gideon is the one who told us about it."

"What does she even see in him? That raccoon was such a jerk to everyone."

"Well, Jude," spoke her father. "Sometimes mammals can change."

"Yeah, right. That raccoon is probably just as slimy as the day I met him. Some mammals never, ever change."

I winced a little at that comment. I guess Judy had forgotten I was standing a few feet behind her.

After a few deep breaths, Judy calmed herself down and let out a big sigh.

"Fine. She's a big girl and she can decide for herself what she wants to do with her life. Even if I don't agree with it."

"That's not the end of it," snapped her mother. "She went behind our backs with this raccoon and we haven't even gotten the chance to meet him yet. Now she wants to marry him? It's too soon for such nonsense. And I've heard horrible things about this Rocky fellow."

"Bon…"

Mr. Hopps seemed to be the only one who realized I was still present, listening in on their intense conversation.

The other kits were all poking their heads out behind me, using me as a shield while their mommy and daddy bickered. Why did I have to be the adult in this situation?

Mrs. Hopps finally noticed there was a fox standing amongst her children and she cleared her throat. Her scowling demeanor was masked by a warm smile, but I had seen just what lurked beneath the surface. There was an angry, angry bunny waiting for me if I put one claw out of line. If there was one thing I learned from hustling, you never wanted to tick off an indignant mother. It would be the last thing you ever did.

"Sorry, about that," Bonnie said with a pleasant southern drawl to her voice. "We shouldn't be arguing about family matters in front of guests."

I gave a nervous chuckle. "It's quite alright. That's just a hard act to follow up."

Mrs. Hopps didn't get my dumb joke by her vacant stare. I realized I was the only one who found it funny and cleared my throat.

Time to switch gears, Nick. Playful banter isn't going to win you any favors with this crowd.

"Nick Wilde," I said, extending my paw. "Your daughter's police partner."

"Bonnie Hopps," she replied, hesitantly taking two of my fingers and shaking. "We've heard quite a lot about you, Mr. Wilde."

"Good things, I hope? And, please, call me Nick."

Though Bonnie had the presentation of politeness in her posture, her eyes screamed distrust and caution. It was a look I knew all too well whenever I was around other mammals in the city, during my con days. She was waiting for me to do something wrong just to say 'I told you so, he's a fox.'

I continued to smile. Never let them see they get to you.

Mr. Hopps was more obvious in his nervousness as he approached me. He fiddled with his paws before offering them to me to shake.

"Stu Hopps. Nice to meet you, Nick."

You could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

I lingered shaking Stu's paw while there was an awkward silence playing as ambient music. I almost would have preferred it if the pair had come at me screaming profanities. That was easier to deal with than silent distrust and concern.

I was lucky to have Judy back me up. "So, dinner?"

"After today, I'm really not in the mood for cooking, Judy," replied her mother. "Do you mind if we just order pizza instead?"

The little ones hanging around my tail could no longer keep quiet at the mention of delicious takeout.

My ears were filled with the high pitched cheer of "Pizza!" This resulted in a literal stampede through the front door, awakening the sleeping Pop-Pop. Mrs. Hopps collected her father before following her children.

As the Hopps piled into the burrow, I lingered behind to whisper my thanks to Judy.

"They aren't _that_ bad, are they?" she asked as we followed her family into the burrow.

"Carrots, I would rather matador for a savage Bogo than be left alone a minute with your mother. Those eyes…"

"They stare into your soul?"

"I can see where you get it from now."

She just laughed and showed me inside. Despite every instinct I had screaming to get as far away from the house as possible, I followed her into the rabbit's den.

It was going to be a long, awkward dinner.

With the burrow filled, I could see why the Hopps needed so much space in their living room.

Every corner was exploding with some sort of activity, be it coloring in books or playing games on the giant television. I suppose if there was ever such a thing as organized chaos, I was looking at it.

While the children played, I joined the older rabbits in sitting quietly around the couches.

Bonnie went to the kitchen, preparing drinks for us. Stu impatiently kicked at his seat, like he had a nervous twitch, sharing an occasional glance at me and then Judy. Pop-Pop continued his trend of napping whenever no one was talking to him.

"So," I said in an attempt to reach out to the bumbling bunny. "Where are the other Hopps?"

Stu didn't realize that I was addressing him and he fumbled his words.

"Oh! Uh...They work the fields all day. Afterwards, we let them do what they want. Since there's not much entertainment on the farm, they usually head out to the town square for the night."

"Funny," said Judy. "I remember having a hard time convincing you guys to let us stay out after dark."

"Well, Jude. After you left for Zootopia, and Jacky disappeared in Clawnanda, we were hard pressed to deny the next generation a looser grip. Despite what opinions your mom has on the matter."

"What? They ganged up on you?"

"Karoline and Micken made some...Strong points. And we're getting old, Jude. It's getting to be trouble just watching thirty of the kits all day. Heck, I don't know how much longer we can keep the Hopps Harvest going on our own. That's why we were grateful you were coming home."

I sensed a moment to jump into the conversation and earn some much needed points with Judy's folks.

"We'd be happy to help set up the festival," I smiled at Stu. "I'm a little sparse on the details though. And I don't know much about country fairs."

It was an easy opening. If there was one thing I knew about mammals it was that they loved to talk about themselves. Judy's father took the bait and changed his tune almost instantly.

"That's right...Judy said you've never been to the sticks before. You're in for a real treat then. The Harvest is second only to the Carrot Day Festival, and even then I argue that it has better food and more rides. It's been a tradition of mine for the last twenty years, once our family started to grow. All the Hopps from around the tri-burrow come together and catch up. There are the activities and food too. Oh, crackers, the food…"

Judging by his gut, Stu was a foodie. His hungry look was doing nothing to ease my own angry stomach. If that pizza didn't come here soon, my foxy instincts were going to be a real threat to this den of rabbits.

"So," I had to distract my belly. "You run it all on your own?"

"Well, the town helps in anyway they can and everyone is invited. This year, Gid and his sister were going to help take care of the desserts with their pie business."

"Isn't that the fox that clawed you, Carrots?"

Another little tidbit I had remembered from our many lunches together. Judy displayed the clear signs of discomfort with the subject by unconsciously reaching for her left cheek.

"Yeah...He's turned over a new leaf though. I wouldn't say we're cool, exactly. We barely made up before I left the last time. And that was months ago. He's been good with my parents though."

"Better than good," her dad chuckled, sticking his thumbs through his overall straps. "That boy makes the best dang pie for a hundred miles. Business has been booming with him as our partner."

A sudden realization clicked in Judy's head.

"And you're certain none of that success could possibly have to do with having your daughter's _face_ on your merchandise?"

I couldn't help myself to join in on the accusation. "Not to mention the bunny butt cake."

My added commentary caused both rabbits to blush, though it was Stu who was suffering the brunt of the embarrassment. He avoided eye contact with Judy as he attempted to explain himself. I almost felt bad for him.

"W-Well, you see, Jude. You're something of an inspiration to the youngins around here. It started as a fun idea that Gideon had when you solved your Nighthowler case and...Well...It just sort of exploded from there. Customers loved it."

"It wouldn't bother me if you just asked first. Do you have any idea how much trouble everyone back at the precinct would give me if they discovered those things?"

I didn't have the heart to tell her I was going to have a batch shipped to me as soon as we got back to Zootopia.

"Well, Jude, you can take it up with Gid tomorrow. He makes the things. We just sell them. Just go easy on him. He's a good fox."

"Jeez, dad. You make it sound like you're protecting your true born son. What? Are you going to give the farm to him when you retire?"

"Actually…"

"Don't even think about it, Stuart Hopps," Mrs. Hopps came in from behind with her tray of drinks.

"Aw, come on, Bon. The boy has a gift for the marketing side of business. At the very least, he'd be an excellent partner for Adam or Alfred when they inherit the farm."

"This is not a discussion for right now, honey."

My tail was starting to get bushy again.

Things had been going so well until Bonnie came in and somehow sucked the joy out of the conversation. The three of us shifted awkwardly in our seats with our drinks as Bonnie took the chair next to her father. Though she didn't so much as glance at me, I got the impression that was an unspoken contempt towards the only fox in the room.

I downed the water she had provided, trying to find the right words to make some sort of headway with the bunny, much in the way I had her husband.

I just needed one little hint of her good side to make an impact.

Think Nick. How how you approach a southern rabbit's wife? What did I even really know about Bonnie from the stories Judy told me?

"So, Mrs. Hopps," I said, grabbing everyone's attention. "Judy told me your father owned the local mines in Bunnyburrow. I don't recall the burrows ever being famous for mining."

Good job, Nick. Nice safe topic. Family history. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and the Hopps looked to be a family-oriented bunch.

But then why was Mrs. Hopps giving me a scowl as soon as I mentioned the mine?

"Mr. Wilde, the mine was closed down for health reasons, but not before a gas leak addled my father's brain."

Smooth Nick. Real smooth.

Next to me, Judy was cringing with regret over not warning me about the subject matter. Dumb fox.

"Uh, sorry to hear that...We spoke with him briefly when we came here. He seems like a nice rabbit."

Bonnie raised an eye at me.

"No offense, Mr. Wilde, but my father has hated foxes since his fox partner in business went back on a deal with him. I find that very hard to believe he would be open to conversation with you."

"Well, uh, what can I say? I can be very charming."

"My father also suffers from very dangerous delusional episodes where, around new mammals, he can believe he's somewhere he's not. Even hurt himself. You didn't lie to him about anything, did you?"

Somewhere in the distance, old Nick was laughing at me.

"No...Of course not."

"That's good. We're very protective of him."

I regretted even broaching any sort of topic with Bonnie.

She was like a stone wall, cold and impenetrable to crack. I don't even think I could get her to smirk and I was completely out of my element.

I glanced to Judy, practically begging her to help me out of the hole I had dug myself into. Both she and her father were turning to their drinks. Some help they were. But I couldn't exactly blame them either...

It came as a surprise when Bonnie turned the conversation onto me next.

"So, Mr. Wilde. Judy says you've lived in the city your whole life."

She was giving me a lifesaver. It may have been a trap full of angry bees, but I had to take it.

"Uh, yes, ma'am. This is my first time really outside of Zootopia."

"How does one make a living in Zootopia?"

"Oh...Just odd jobs, here and there."

"Like being a carpet salesmen and an ice cream man?"

It was getting hard to keep track of all the lies. "Yeah…?"

"And how old did you say you were?"

"Thirty two...Thirty three in spring."

"So, Mr. Wilde. For thirty two years, let's say you started working at fifteen, you've been making business just fine on your own going from job to job?"

"That's fair to say...Yes."

"Then my daughter comes along. And suddenly, you drop your entire career, what you've known your whole life, in favor of becoming a police officer? Just like that?"

Though Judy was struggling to interpret the meaning of her mother's words, I understood exactly what Bonnie was getting at.

The cold disposition to me had entirely to do with Jenny and her fiancé. Her older daughter had gone behind her back to be with a raccoon Bonnie didn't trust. Then a fox with the shady city background was trying to get close to Judy. I got the message loud and clear.

 _If you try to do anything with my daughter, you'll have to go through me first._

"...Yes, ma'am."

"Very interesting. I wonder, how long you plan on keeping this job then?"

I breathed heavily through my nose. "If I can help it, for a good while."

"Well, I hope you do."

I was saved by the doorbell.

Never in my life had I been so glad to hear the sound of a pizza delivery mammal. Bonnie maintained a pleasant smile as she rose to answer the door. Stu shared a pitying glance to me. He probably had an inkling of what Bonnie's ire towards me meant. Judy, however, had been kept in the dark.

She leaned close to my ear and whispered.

"Nick, what was all that about?"

"Don't worry about it, Fluff."

Judy really wanted all of us to get along, but I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth yet. Not while her mother was on a warpath with me.

It was the worst kind of aggression. Subtle and under the surface.

I've said it before. Blatant specist comments I can take. You can laugh about them and win by default. But there was nothing worse than killing someone with politeness. And I don't think there's anyone quite so tenacious as a mother protecting her children.

Vegetable pizza was served to us, but I wasn't very hungry anymore.

My mind was more preoccupied with how to mend the bridge between me and Bonnie.


	5. Chapter 5: The Fox in the Burrow

Chapter Five "The Fox in the Burrow"

The first night in the Hopps burrow was rough.

As expected, the bed was far too small in length for me to rest comfortably on. I dozed in and out of sleep, insomnia being something I was accustomed to since my crush with Judy.

It certainly didn't help that I could hear everything move around the house, from the kits bouncing on their beds to Stu waking up at 3 AM to use the bathroom. All the while I kept thinking about how much easier it would be to sleep if I had a certain rabbit by my side. I could hear Judy snoring in the room next to mine.

Somewhere around 5 AM, exhaustion hit me hard and I didn't wake up until 9 to Judy knocking at my door.

"Nick, up and at em. We're already running late."

My spine felt like a broken accordion as I rose from the bed. Off to a bad start for the day, and we already had a full plate ahead of us with the offered chores around the faire.

I desperately needed some coffee.

Emerging from my bedroom, I heard Judy stop in the bathroom. She was probably brushing her teeth.

I was still wearing my undershirt and jeans. Good enough for grunt work outside. A shower could wait until later. Another swipe of Musk-Away was more than enough. Especially if the Hopps expected me to be doing heavy lifting.

The burrow was mostly abandoned as I shuffled out into the living room. A handful of kits were watching the television playing a kiddie cartoon. Mr. Penguin, I believe it was called. Pop-Pop was passed out on the couch next to them, looking questionably alive as always. There was no sign of Bonnie or Stu, which allowed me a quick sigh of relief.

In fact, the only awake adult was Judy's big sister, Jenny, sitting in the kitchen and eating cereal.

"You look as bad as I feel," Jenny said as I approached her table.

"That's one way to put it. Safe to say your folks didn't accommodate the place for a fox."

I could recognize a forced laugh anywhere. Underneath the pleasant smile, I could see the strain in Jenny's eyes. It wasn't much different from my own whenever I looked in a mirror recently.

"So," I said, pouring myself some coffee. "Your parents mentioned your impending marriage. Congrats."

Jenny had the same sigh of frustration Judy did whenever she got stumped in one of our police cases. Jen leaned over the table and pulled at her ears, banging her head several times on the counter.

"Dad's not so bad about this kind of stuff," she said after hitting her head twelve consecutive times. "He's a big, old pushover about confrontations. But I knew mom was going to be trouble with Rocky."

"Yeah, she was pretty brutal last night."

"You didn't get caught up in it, did you?"

I cringed, giving Jenny her answer.

"Ugh, she's unbelievable. This happened every single time I brought home a guy that wasn't a rabbit. That's why I didn't want to tell them about Rocky. I knew they would overreact. Again. And then he just dropped his proposal on me the other night…"

I let her vent for a moment, sipping on coffee black as midnight. It was just what I needed to perk me up and snap me back into the real world. Probably a habit I would have to kick eventually.

"I'm sorry," said Jenny. "You only get one first impression, and I feel like I ruined it for you."

I wanted to tell her I was used to stuff like that. Bonnie wasn't the first rabbit I've had a hard time with.

But Bonnie was the only one who had genuinely stung me with her refusal to accept me. I hadn't felt so rejected since I got muzzled by the scouts. It was probably because, like back then, I desperately wanted something only for it to be shoved right in my face. I'd deal with it though. The years had done well to help me handle disappointment, especially when it came to predator hate.

"It is what it is," I shrugged. "Can't be helped. I'll just need to up my charm a bit. Don't worry about it."

"Did you take my advice from yesterday?"

"Yes," I lied.

"Well, I can't speak from your side of things. But there is one fox who's managed to get on my parent's good side."

"That Gideon fellow? Mister bunny butt cake?"

"I'm not saying I think he's brilliant, but something has worked for him. It might be worth talking to him, if only so you have a brother in arms down here in the burrows."

"We'll be a regular bunch of Merry Mammals, eh?

I stared deep into my dark coffee.

Gideon did strike as a bit curious, with his ability to win over the Hopps like he did. The way Judy had described him, he was as thick as a bag of rocks and probably just as heavy. But he was a rare thing, to be a fox living in a burrow of potentially eighty million bunnies.

"I'll consider it. When are we leaving?"

"Right now," said Judy as she entered behind me. "Jen."

I could hear a bit of Bonnie in Judy's greeting.

Like her mother, Judy didn't seem to approval of Jenny's choice in a future husband, though perhaps for different reasons. Judy's bad feelings typically held merit and she almost described this raccoon as worse than Gideon Grey.

Jenny seemed to sense her sister's ire but huffed it off.

"Jude."

"We'll be taking the other pickup truck, in case you want to join us."

"That's alright. I can walk or ask Rocky to pick me up. You two go ahead."

A much different tone was shared between the sisters compared to yesterday. Neither of them sounded pleased with each other. They were acting as polite as possible while glaring daggers at each other when their backs were turned.

I wished I had finished my coffee as we hurried out the door.

"You two have been chummy," said Judy when we reached the porch, far enough so Jenny couldn't hear.

My mouth got the better of me again. "Jealous, Fluff?"

"Oh, please. I've never been jealous of anyone in my life. I'm just worried for her, is all. Jenny has always been headstrong when it comes to stuff like this. She's never willing to admit she's wrong, even if she's in deep trouble."

"Isn't that the kettle calling the pot black?"

"Careful, Nick. Or you're going to find yourself _walking_ to the faire."

"I don't even know where this place is, Carrots. You're going to find me later being chased by a liquored up moonshine peddler with a shotgun if you let me wander alone."

Some friendly ribbing was just what I needed to perk myself up. And it was nice to hear a genuine laugh from Judy, for once.

We piled into the truck like we were going on patrol back in Zootopia. Judy pulled out onto the dirt road as we delved into small talk.

Judy hadn't slept the best either.

"I've been away from home too long," she said with a smile. "It's too quiet. I'm used to loud music, loud cars, and loud neighbors."

"Speak for yourself, Carrots. I can hear every little thing from my room. Even you showering."

"Just because you never shower yourself, Nick."

"I have an excuse! It's like using a toilet that's not your own. Home is where you can poop the most comfortably."

Her face contorted into disgust before slowly morphing into a pouted lip and droopy ears.

"You're not comfortable here then?"

After stretching the truth with Bonnie the previous night, honesty sounded like the best option.

"The bed is a little small. And I'd be lying if I said your parents have given me the warmest welcome I've ever had."

It hurt me to see Judy bummed, but it was the truth. Her nose twitched slightly, though her eyes remained glued to the road.

"I'm sorry...I was really hoping that I could give you a relaxing weekend, Nick. It looked like you needed it. Now, it's like I'm pulling you into family drama. If it hadn't been for this thing with Jenny, mom would have been less icy to you."

"Is it fair to blame matters of the heart, Carrots?"

"Jen's decision sounds reckless to me," Judy shrugged. "But I wouldn't know. Never had a boyfriend. I was always the one more focused on work and my career. I can't really remember any crushes I've had and the idea of marriage doesn't appeal to me either. I even turned down every buck that asked me out in high school."

"This is why the guys at work call you the Rabbot. More machine than mammal."

"They can think what they want. Do I sound like the type of bunny to be swooning and swept up off my feet?"

I chuckled. That was what made Judy so challenging compared to all the other girls I had come across. She was truly unique. And that steadfast determination was what drove me crazy about about her.

"Nope. Not at all. You don't even have the accent for a southern belle."

Judy laughed again. "Thanks…"

We took a sharp turn down the road, following a more populated stretch of the burrows where I could see houses. I felt like we were approaching someplace significantly more populated than out in the farmlands.

"Seriously though, Nick," said Judy as she slowed the truck near a large lot. "If you're uncomfortable here, let me know. Call it southern hospitality, but I want to make sure you're happy. It's not fair for you to sacrifice your weekend off if you're just going to get shafted by my parents. I want to make it up to you."

"Really, Carrots," I looked her straight into her purple eyes. "There's no place I would rather be than here."

She shifted in her seat before clearing her throat and looking out the window.

"We're, uh, we're here, by the way."

I was expecting to look out and find an empty acre of grasslands dotted with the occasional autumn tree. Perhaps I was more focused on Judy, but I had neglected to see the trailers and heavy vehicles parked beyond the fence in front of us.

It was by no means the most impressive set up I had ever seen, even for a small-town country faire. But the fact that the Hopps could afford a dozen small-time carnival rides and almost twenty booths every year gave me a huge insight to just how much money her parents made. Maybe there was more to farming than I first considered.

"Your parents bought all this?"

"Rented," Judy corrected. "It's not as expensive as you might think. Several thousand for the rides. And we grow our own food, so that cost is out. Plus, you make money back. The neighbors are more than happy to chip in too, because it's free advertising and business for them if they set up a stall. It's actually pretty cheap if you take all of that into consideration. All it needs is someone willing to coordinate it all."

All the faire talk brought up an old interest of mine.

"What kind of rides do you have?"

"You'll get to see for yourself. We're in charge of setting them up."

Stepping past the gate, it was clear to me that this festival was meant to be mostly for rabbits.

I had to duck under the entrance as the path led to what would amount to the central hub of the faire.

It was a very typical design with having a central area to host the main attractions. Side stalls jutted off like rays of the sun, offering foods and restrooms. By how the road was lined with barriers, I could tell that it was Stu's intention to funnel people in a circle. That would give them a chance to see everything and keep the lines flowing.

"Very nice," I said out loud, almost forgetting Judy was next to me. "You can tell your dad has done this for awhile. The layout keeps the crowd moving, with stops in between for breaks."

Judy stared up at me blankly.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing...I just didn't expect you to sound so...Knowledgeable about faire stuff."

I briefly debated revealing my secret pet project to open an amusement park before deciding to wait on that for another time.

"Eh. It's mostly just common sense."

Looking around, there weren't many mammals out on the scene.

Twenty rabbits were hopping about, going from stall to stall. There was the distinct scent of cotton candy and funnel cake in the air. Someone was helping themselves to the sweets early. While the food stalls were being prepared, the rides—or what would eventually be the rides—were left covered and disassembled in their respective squares.

But what really caught my eye was the centerpiece of the circle.

"What's this?" I chuckled at the pedestal left at the middle platform, between all the trailers. "A golden carrot? Really?"

I trod up to the colorful bauble as it shone in the morning sun. It looked like one of those cheap gold paint trinkets you could get for twenty dollars at a garage sale, then leave in your garden to forget about until the rain ruined it. The carrot itself was the width of a baseball and the length of my forearm.

I had the mind to reach up and flick it, but Judy grabbed my paw.

"Hey," she warned. "No touching."

"Why not? It looks incredibly fake."

"Nick, that's four hundred ounces of real twenty karat gold. What's there is probably worth half a million dollars."

"Come on, Carrots. You're pulling my tail. Who would just leave that much gold out in the open like that?"

But the glare in her eyes suggested that there was no punchline to follow her claim. My ears drooped.

"Cripes. You're serious?"

"Yes. It's the symbol of the Hopps Harvest and dad only ever brings it out for this one occasion. Everyone knows not to touch it and we trust all our neighbors."

I rubbed the bridge of my snout. The idea that the country was so trusting that you could just leave that kind of cash out in the open was baffling to me.

"So, let me get this straight. You're telling me that your parents have a _real_ golden carrot that they just leave lying out in the middle of a faire? Aren't you worried someone would steal it?"

"Of course I am, Nick. I work as a cop in Zootopia, I see that kind of stuff all the time. But never once have I been able to convince dad to put it away. He's too proud to hide his glory."

"Proud? Carrots, that's literally leaving more money than I could ever know what to do with in one sitting out for someone just to walk up and take."

"Every time I bring it up, he always gives me the same story about how he met mom and how the principal of the gold matters more to him than the financial value. He also claims it's perfectly safe. There's folks with eyes on it all the time."

"That's a lot of faith to put in neighbors. No one's tried to steal it?"

"Most out-of-towners, like you, just assume it's fake. Our neighbors all know to respect it. Dad locks it up every night after closing. Plus, even if someone tried it, the thing isn't exactly easy to make a quick getaway with. It's bulky and hard to hide, with how it shines in the sun. You'd need to pull some clever shenanigans to get away with it without anyone noticing."

A loud noise behind to me caused me to jump. I narrowly avoided getting hit by a large eight-wheeler truck as it skidded on the dirt road. A quick glance at the lettering on the side of the vehicle told me what the driver was doing there.

"Bonko's Batting Cages," Judy read the truck's logo out loud. "Good, looks like that's the last thing to set up."

"What? Time to go to work already? I'm allergic to work on my holiday, Carrots."

She pulled at my paw to drag me along. I could see her smile, even though she tried to hide it.

"Then you shouldn't have agreed to it with dad last night. Now come on. I promise it will be fun."

And so it was.

Judy could have no idea that I was in my element amongst the simple carnival games.

Since I was a kit, I always had a working idea on a type of amusement park that predators could go to in Zootopia. Just a small place to call their own where they could run wild and rough house amongst themselves, if they wanted to. After living amongst prey who might be nervous if predators behaved that way in public, I imagine it would have high appeal. Wilde Times, I'd call it. I was probably the only fox in the city with the guts and charisma to not get the place shut down. But it was a pipe dream, maybe something to look forward to in retirement. Besides, I'm pretty sure someone had already taken the name.

From our arrival until noon, we went from stall to stall setting up the machines.

It wasn't terribly difficult to figure it out. Judy was quick on the instructions and I knew exactly what to look for. She raised her eyebrow a few times at my extensive knowledge of the games, but never questioned it if she suspected anything.

Most of it was very basic stuff anyway. There were the Batting Cages, Bottle Stacks, a Mini Merry-go-round, Water Pistol Racing, a Pumpkin Painting Station, a Ball Pit, and even the classic Balloon Darts. The stuff was very simple to setup and a few rabbits—older siblings and cousins of Judy's—stopped by to give us a hand or drop off prizes to distribute to potential winners.

We gathered the supplies, nailed up signs, and assembled any mechanical equipment necessary.

The work kept me distracted from my conversation with Jenny earlier that morning. But I hadn't forgotten my promise to her. All while we worked, I kept my eyes peeled for signs of the fox in the burrow. Gideon Grey.

It just so happened around lunch, before we could set up the Lover's Wagon for laps around the carnival, I laid eyes on him.

"Carrots, you mind holding the fort? I'm going to grab a bite to eat."

Judy agreed and I escaped work to follow where I had seen the big ball of red fur between the stalls.

I only had to follow my nose to find the pastries the Hopps so proudly boasted of. Gideon had set up his own pie stand at the very end of the line.

"Grey's Old Fashioned Pies, huh?"

Most of Gideon's goods were boxed and it was clear that the fox wasn't anywhere close to being set up yet if the missing signs and disheveled paper strewn across the counter were any clue.

I caught the sight of an orange head of fur digging around under the table as I made my approach.

Alright, Nick. Be smooth.

"Hey there," I called to the fox beneath the counter. "I hear you make a mean bunny butt cake."

The fox darted up from the table, as if my words were the cry of some predator out on the attack.

It wasn't a pudgy tod, as I expected, but a cute vixen who greeted me.

"S-Sorry! We're not quite set up yet…"

The poor girl had a hard time keeping eye contact with me.

She was a skinny thing, despite working around sweets all day. Her eyes were like a clear sky of blue with a short, stubby snout beneath them. She looked pretty ordinary for a country fox, with her overalls and pink T-shirt, except for her ears. Each lobe had been pierced three times and were fitted with earrings of red, blue, and green. It was almost like she had antennae sprouting up to contact some alien mothership.

"Actually," I corrected myself. "I was looking for Gideon Grey. Is he around?"

The vixen looked uncertain and awkwardly glanced from the counter to behind the stall, where it sounded like someone was rummaging around. From the back, a giant of a fox emerged with two pies in hand.

"Jean," spoke the giant fox. "Who's this fellow?"

The vixen just shook her head and cowered in the corner of the stall. The giant fox put on a protective scowl and dropped the pies on the counter before he addressed me. Arms crossed.

"Can I help you, sir?"

I didn't want to start any trouble and raised my paws.

"Just looking for someone. Are you Gideon Grey?"

"Yeah. Who wants to know?"

"I'm Nick Wilde, a friend of Judy Hopps."

The mention of Judy softened Gideon's eyes and he lowered his arms.

"Yeah, I heard about you from Stu. You're that city fox, ain't you?"

It troubled me slightly to be known as 'the city fox' but it was better than starting a brawl I had no chance of winning.

"That's the one. I was wondering if you had time to chat, though I can see you're still setting up. How about I scratch your back and you scratch mine?"

When it dawned on Gideon that I was there only for him, his personality warmed up, as did his voice.

"Jeanette, why don't you go over to Mrs. H? She could probably use your help baking for the pie eating contest."

The vixen nodded and stumbled out of the way. Poor girl. I almost felt bad for her. When she was out of sight, Gideon relaxed more.

"Sorry about that, Mr. Wilde. I thought you were hitting on my sister, so I got a little defensive."

"Your sister?"

I looked Gideon up and down. There were some similarities in their faces and eyes, but they had completely different body types. I shrugged. It took all kinds, I guess.

"No worries. I'm getting used to folks thinking I'm up to no good since coming here."

Gideon guffawed. "Yeah, it comes with growing up in the burrows. Come on back. We can chat while I work."

I hopped over the counter and got a blast of blueberry pie. The aroma lingered in the air, sweet as cotton candy.

The back of the stall was in more disarray than it looked from the front. Gideon had his paws full cooking in time for the faire and assembling his failing stand. I lent my own paws by holding up one of the boards for him to nail.

"Thank you kindly," he said as he hammered away. "So, what can I do for you, Mr. Wilde?"

"Cutting right to the chase, eh?"

"I've found that the more blunt you are, the more honest a response you get from folks. Plus you're a friend of Judy's, so you can't be that bad of a fox. I figure I don't need to small talk with you to size you up."

I could tell Gideon had a straightforward way of approaching mammals. That was probably what made him so good with marketing, according to Stu.

"I can appreciate that. Actually, I wanted to ask you about the Hopps."

"Ah," he seemed to understand instantly by the way he smiled. "Trying to get on their good side?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Heh, yeah. Stu was a real piece of work when I approached him about my, uh, business venture. I was real nervous and all on account of what happened between me and Judy when we were kits. And when I saw he showed up with the fox spray round his belt, I thought he had come to assault me for revenge, or something."

"Hah. Would you laugh if I said my first encounter with Judy almost ended the same way?"

"Like father like daughter. But Stu is an easy enough fellow once he comes around to you. He liked what I had to say and we were in business together faster than a jackrabbit getting ready for a date."

"Stu isn't quite the bunny I'm having trouble with."

Gideon slipped and nicked his thumb with the hammer. "Ah. Bonnie, then?"

"Didn't help that she caught wind of Jenny's engagement, which set her on edge towards predators near her daughters."

"Sorry bout that. I get the feeling that was me and my big mouth."

"It is what it is," I sighed. "My own mouth dug me a deeper grave. So, now I'm trying to patch up what little remains."

"Well, Rocky is his own brand of trouble, but that's another story. As for Bonnie...You need to look at it this way, Mr. Wilde. She's the mother of almost three hundred children. She can remember each and every one of their names, their birthdays, and their favorite foods. I've seen that with my own two eyes. She loves her family and if you hurt any single one of them, you're in a load of trouble."

"All the more reason I asked you. You know with the, uh, thing with Judy." I clawed at my cheek to give a visual cue.

Gideon winced as he sucked at his bloodied thumb.

"Yeah. Bonnie gave me the cold shoulder for a while, even after we had gone to business. She only started to come around to me after I had been completely honest and opened up to her."

"What do you mean?"

"Judy doesn't know this, but you know the vixen you just met? My sister, Jeanette?"

"Yeah, she seems...Nice."

"And as jumpy as a kangaroo when it comes to most mammals. She's always been like that, ever since she was a kit. Folks called her a little shadow by how she'd hide away. Most didn't even know she existed."

I suddenly realized that Judy had never even mentioned that Gideon had a sister.

"The day I clawed Judy was...A bad day. I had just coaxed Jeanette to come out to the Carrot Day festival. You know, to try get her to mingle with the other mammals. Things didn't go bad until after Judy's stage play, which I didn't care for too much given how biased against preds. I had left Jeanette to go to the restroom with Travis. I guess some prey animals had ganged up on her when she was alone. I couldn't quite get a read on what happened exactly. She was in tears about it. Said they teased her for being one of the only foxes at the festival. Called her names. Said predators were supposed to eat prey."

Unconsciously, I reached for my mouth as if there were still a muzzle attached to it. I knew all too well just how cruel the world could be when you were outnumbered.

"That got me real angry. I didn't know who did it or how to comfort Jeanette. Poor girl hadn't done anything to anyone. The only thing I could think of was being a good older brother and try to take care of my little sister. So, I thought about winning her a prize from one of the games to cheer her up. It was stupid, but it was the only thing I could think of. Course, I wasn't any good at the games. So, I figured if prey were going to upset my sister, they could dang well afford to give me the tickets for a prize. I think Judy would know the rest."

It was interesting to hear the other side of the story.

From Judy's angle, she had been the hero who stood up to the bully, Gideon, as he was picking on a bunch of helpless mammals. Suddenly, the brave little rabbit was muddled in shades of grey. Things hadn't been so simple.

Not that Judy would have anyway of knowing the full story, of course.

"I take it you don't want to tell Judy everything?" I asked.

"Nah. Don't have the heart to. Like I said later to her, I was out of line and angry. As Jeanette and I got older, we learned to stop caring so much about what the other mammals thought. Jean got braver every year. Now she's getting her ears pierced and thinking about moving to Zootopia. Can you imagine? She still can't even speak to a new mammal without her knees buckling. Despite that though, she's gotten a lot stronger than the scared kit she once was. I asked her to keep quiet about that day around Judy. Bonnie knows to keep quiet about it too. But things got real different between me and Bon after I told her the full story and introduced her to Jeanette. I still don't think she _fully_ approves of me yet. But she's been like a second mother around Jean."

"So, you're saying I need a tear-jerker to get on her good side."

Gideon laughed and finished sucking his thumb.

"If you have one, it certainly can't hurt to say it. My advice to you though, Mr. Wilde, is to be open and honest with Bonnie. She's a mammal, just like you or me, with her love spread out over all her children. It's like walking through a pumpkin patch, you gotta watch where you step or you're going to make a huge mess."

He paused.

"Alright. Bad analogy. Just tell her about you and where you're coming from. She'll understand."

I thought about what I could even say to Bonnie. There was only one thing that came to mind.

Judy hadn't become my friend until after I had told her all about my past with the scouts. If she was anything like her mother, and I was willing to bet she was, there was a chance the same story would work for Bonnie.

Plus, you know, being honest and open with her. Rare for a former con artist, I know.

"I might do that," I smiled at Gideon. "Thanks for the advice, Chief."

"Oh, and one more thing. The rabbits might not be able to smell you, but I could tell from the other side of the stall. You stink of fur-row-mones. You need a shower, Mr. Wilde."

I chuckled at his butchering of the word 'pheromones' but took his advice into consideration. I guess there was only so much Musk-Away could cover up. A shower would come as soon as I got back to the burrow.

"Mind if I take off?" I asked. "I want to approach Bonnie while I'm feeling brave and inspired."

"Good luck, Mr. Wilde."

He offered me his uninjured paw. It was nice to shake paws with someone my own size for a change.

"Thanks again. You're a good fox, Chief. I owe you a drink if this works."

And boy, did I hope it would work.

After asking directions to the pie eating contest, I stumbled around the faire a little bit, ignoring my stomach rumbling from the smell of greasy carnival food.

It wasn't hard to follow my nose when I detected more mouthwatering blueberry pie, which led me to a large tent off one of the side paths in the roundabout.

I opened the flap only to come face to face with Jeanette from earlier.

"Oh, hello again," I said, trying to ease my own nerves with some dumb humor. "We need to stop bumping into each other like this."

"Y-Yeah…"

She was carrying two trays of pies, the source of the tantalizing blueberry scent.

"I'm actually looking for Bonnie, now," I said. "I promise I'm not stalking you. Is she around?"

Jeanette looked to the back of the tent, where a particular grey rabbit was hopping to and fro, organizing the seats for the impending contest in a couple of days. I caught the plaid shirt and jeans of the dreaded mom bunny. As if sensing my gaze, Mrs. Hopps turned around.

Every instinct I had was screaming at me to run away in the other direction.

My ancestors would be laughing at me. A fox scared of a rabbit. But Bonnie's scowl was almost worse than Bogo's, and at least the chief had a sense of humor. She was like a stone wall of momliness. You don't mess with someone who's had almost three hundred children.

"Mr. Wilde," she spoke my name as if it was a curse word. "Something I can do for you?"

All the courage Gideon's story gave me faded in an instant. I began to wonder how the soft-spoken giant had ever managed to even get the first word in with Bonnie. I had to keep telling myself not to default to smarm and wit. That wasn't gonna save me.

"I, uh, I was hoping to speak to you after our talk last night."

"I thought I was quite clear where we stood, Mr. Wilde."

"You were."

"And yet you insist on this?"

I wanted nothing more than to shake Mrs. Hopps by the shoulder and scream at her "I'd never hurt your daughter." But that would probably only prove her point. She was warning me that she would not hold back this time.

I took a deep breath.

"Yes. I do."

"Jean, dear," Bonnie put on a sweet voice that I had never heard before. "Why don't you go pick up some more pies from your brother?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

I felt a passing sorrow for Jean, whom I had been sending from place to place. But the thought was quickly forgotten as I realized that, for the first time, it was just me and Bonnie.

"Well, Mr. Wilde. What did you want to discuss?"

Here we go...


	6. Chapter 6: Close Encounters

Chapter Six "Close Encounters"

When I was a just a kit starting out on the city streets hustling, I made the mistake of purchasing a crate of skunk butt rugs.

I was twenty at the time and it was a shipping error. Stupid amateur mistake. But I did end up getting an excellent discount and I thought to not waste it. That would prove to be an even bigger mistake, as I later discovered.

While I was pedaling my goods in the downtown of Tundratown, it just so happened that the biggest mobster in Zootopia crossed my stall. Mr. Big had a huge interest in what I was selling. I think he had liked my smooth talking and appreciated a young tod trying to make his mark in the world. He said I reminded him of himself back in the day.

It all happened fast, as these things do.

He took me into his home and treated me like family. Suddenly, I had a custom suit and a roof over my head. I was a far cry from being the fox kicked out of his mother's house just a month prior. I was riding high, thinking that this was how I was going to make it big in the city. In my pride, I had forgotten that Mr. Big's prized wool rug was actually a skunk butt.

When he found out, through a fellow collector of rare antiques, I was called in.

It was like there had been a funeral on the estate. Friends I had made around the Big mansion suddenly didn't want to look at me.

When I finally met with Mr. Big, groveling was all I could do to save my own skin. I never knew my father, but I could imagine that the glare from Mr. Big was what it would be like to disappoint my dad.

" _I invite you into my home, Nicky. We shared stories and drinks, no less. And this is how you repay me?"_

He looked at me with such disdain and pity and he couldn't be bothered to ice me. Instead, he had me tossed out with the threat that if I ever showed my face around his area of Tundratown again, he wouldn't be so merciful.

I managed to walk away with my faculties mostly intact.

I learned two very important lessons that day about the quality of your product and to never get involved with the mob.

That final encounter with Mr. Big, where my very life was at stake, was more preferable than my one on one with Bonnie.

I kept my paws behind my back, if only so Bonnie wouldn't see me fiddle with them as I looked right into her eyes.

Judy had been right. Her mother's eyes were like staring into the dark center of the universe. I found myself getting lost in them, distracting me from where I could begin.

"To put it bluntly," I started. "I sense you have a problem with me and I'd like to mend whatever bridge I broke."

"Mr. Wilde, I don't hate you."

I grunted. "See, I'm sorry. But that's a straight up lie. I recognize the glare in your eyes. The distrustful stares. I used to see it every day when I walked down the streets of Zootopia."

"Used to?" Bonnie raised at eyebrow at me.

"Yeah. Well, you have your daughter to thank for making an honest fox out of me."

"So, you admit that you have a shady past."

I sighed. Already on the defensive...

"Look. Before we start throwing out accusations here, let's agree to something. You can call me dishonest, but you're being passive aggressive. So, let's cut the fluff. From here on out, if you ask me something, I'll tell you the truth. The whole truth. Can I expect the same from you?"

Bonnie digested my words as if there was some hidden meaning or a string attached to them. She crossed her paws in front of her waist.

"Very well. I accept."

I decided to test the waters now that we were on even ground.

"So, do you have an issue with me?"

"I don't hate you, Mr. Wilde," she repeated. "But I'm highly suspicious of your story. And I worry my daughter is being taken for a ride with you as her partner."

I took comfort in the fact that, at least, Bonnie was no longer skirting around her disdain towards me. But her words still hurt all the same.

"A year ago and I would have agreed with you."

"Elaborate, please."

Suddenly, I was back in the skylift of the rainforest district with Judy. It was easy to compare the two with Bonnie's wide purple eyes glaring at me. This time, however, I wouldn't skip all the little details. We didn't have a ten hour time limit to solve the Nighthowler case.

"You're probably not looking for a sob story," I began. "But foxes aren't exactly considered upstanding citizens, even in the city where that kind of mentality is discouraged."

"Yes. Judy has mentioned the problems of the city several times."

"Well, it's where I was born and raised. I grew up without a father. So, it was just me and my mom for a while, me being an only child. The plus side is that there wasn't much in the way of sharing I had to do with other siblings. The downside...Being a single parent and a fox, my mother always had trouble holding work."

There was the slightest flicker of sympathy in Bonnie's eyes before it disappeared in an instant.

"It wasn't a bad way to grow up. I never went hungry. Mom saw to that. However, it did mean cheap clothes from garage sales all the time and very few vacations. Probably why I had never been out of the city until now. But I don't have any bad memories early on. The problems started when I was introduced to the other mammals. I was too young to recognize just how much the world hates you if you're a fox. Things took a real bad turn when I started school. That was when the, uh, incident happened."

I repeated most of what I told Judy verbatim.

As I explained my desire to fit in with the scouts, I began the long, delicate process of drilling through the stone wall. Though Bonnie had a solid poker face, there were occasions where it cracked. But they were far and few between.

When I described the muzzling to Bonnie, I got the slightest reaction out of her. I think it was a wince, but I wasn't sure and was too nervous to find out.

She responded best to the points concerning my mother and the hardships mom faced as a single parent. I detected her eyes soften whenever I mentioned our money situation growing up. Perhaps there was some empathy from one mom to another...

I finished the same way I had on the sky lift.

Talking about it outloud was easier the second time than it was the first with Judy.

"...So, I decided that if the world was just going to see a shady fox, that was what they were going to get."

Bonnie looked down at her feet before returning my gaze. "What did you end up doing?"

"Nothing that hurt anyone," I raised my paws in a meager defense. "I don't think they would have let me join the ZPD if I had that kind of record. Mostly, I was a peddler of sketchy goods and services."

I held up a paw to count.

"First, there was overcharging kits for local bakery cookies in the middle school lunchroom. After I got expelled from high school, I got into selling fake newspapers to build up my contacts in the city until my twenties. There was a repurposed rug vendor career that didn't end well and guided me into less expensive items. Food ended up being a go to, given how necessary it is in the city and how hard it was to find specific goods for picky mammals with dietary restrictions. I conjured together a lot of 'rare ingredients' for the local restaurants to use. After a few close calls there, I switched to making my own food and settled on ice cream, vendoring 'rehabilitated' ingredients from around the city. You stick with what you know, after all."

Bonnie looked unimpressed after I revealed the entirety of my criminal record to her. Perhaps she was expecting something far worse.

The silence was becoming a little awkward and I rubbed the back of my head.

"I, ah, was in the middle of my ice cream career when I met your daughter."

"My point from last night still stands, Mr. Wilde," said Bonnie, crossing her arms. "After all that, you sound like a bag in the wind. You just float to whatever suits your fancy. But it also seems like you enjoyed being a con artist enough to continue it and never sought honest work in your life. Why did you suddenly decide to drop that lifestyle in favor of a respectable career?"

I gulped.

Confessing my feelings about Judy was a lot harder than coming clean about my old life.

I did some mental gymnastics to decide that I wouldn't outright admit my crush unless pressed for it. The truth was messy, anyway.

"To be honest, Mrs. Hopps, I'm still wondering the same thing. Maybe it has something to do with the whole incident with the scouts and the muzzle. You know, wanting to prove them wrong about foxes. Maybe it's just my self-conscious telling me to get a grip on my life and do something more stable than working the streets every day hoping I don't get caught. Or maybe it's just because I'm good at it, according to Judy. Regardless, I'm happy to be doing police work for a change."

"And you went straight, just like that?"

"Well, put me in a few life-or-death situations and everything else seems dull in comparison."

I chuckled but stopped when I realized the look of concern on Bonnie's face.

"Look, I'm not going to pretend I didn't _enjoy_ hustling people. And I was quite good at that too. But there are more important things to me now."

"Like what, Mr. Wilde?"

Don't hesitate, Nick. She'll pick up on it. Those eyes could stare into your soul.

"Like...My apartment. My taxes, which I've started paying. My retirement plans. My health. My co-workers. My...Partner."

Bonnie raised her chin at my last words and I regretted letting them slip out instantly. I was being vague enough to not leave her a clue about my thing for Judy. Right?

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

There was the faintest glimmer of unease on her face before she shook her head. She wore a frown as she faced me again.

"Mr. Wilde, I think it goes without saying that if you ever did anything to hurt my daughter, or any of my children, not even your position as a police officer would protect you from me."

There were rules against threatening an officer of law, but I was too paralyzed with fear to remember them. I looked down to my feet.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And I'm going to be watching you _very_ carefully this weekend. If you put one hair out of line, you will answer for it."

"Understood, ma'am…"

"But...It's not an easy thing to turn a new leaf like you did."

When I looked up at Bonnie, she was genuinely smiling back at me. It was slight and barely noticeable, but it was something. A dent in the wall. A start.

How could I describe what I was feeling? Accomplished? Whatever it was, it made me smile too.

"Yeah...I've never been more proud of anything in my life."

"Your mother must be proud too."

Somewhere in the distance, an eighteen wheeler came to a screeching halt.

"Uhhh. She, uh, doesn't know I'm a police officer. We stopped talking to each other after she kicked me out of the house when I was twenty and she discovered my...My work."

I wasn't even aware bunnies had a death glare. I was afraid that a laser was going to come shooting out of Bonnie's eyes and set me on fire like in Raiders of the Lost Bark.

"Nicholas Wilde," her voice hid none of her rage. "When you return to Zootopia, the first thing you are going to do is march your red tail over to your mother's house and let her know that you're not dead."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"If you don't, I'll have Judy hound you down until you do. And don't expect to be welcomed back to Bunnyburrow either until you're on speaking terms with her."

"Got it! Yes, ma'am! The second I get off from work!"

Though her eyes were daggers, I did notice that the soft smirk was still on Mrs. Hopps' face. The rabbit was _amused_ in her torturing of the petrified fox who had just split his guts to her.

So much for being the apex predator in Bunnyburrow...

"Now, get back to work," she ordered. "The faire opens Monday and we have a lot to do."

"On it, ma'am!"

I spun around and practically flew out of the tent while Bonnie returned to her decorating of the tables.

I was in such as hurry to escape, I didn't see the red shape I had bumped into upon opening the flap.

There was a soft yelp as something squishy hit my chest, followed by the scent of blueberries.

I looked down and saw Jeanette collapsed on the ground, an empty pie tray in her paws. My eyes trailed to what had become of the dessert. That's when I noticed the hefty wad of blue flakes creamed onto my black shirt. It took me a moment to realize that I had crashed into the poor vixen, causing her to slam my chest with the pie she had been carrying.

"Well," I sighed. "So much for this shirt."

"I'm so sorry!" Jeanette jumped to her feet and immediately began to fuss over the mess on my chest. "I-I didn't mean…"

Remembering what Gideon had told me about his sister's social issues, I didn't think it was worth it to goad out any pity from her.

"Eh, don't worry about it. It's not like this is a favorite shirt or anything. I should probably get cleaned up though."

"H-Here, let me help."

"Nah, it's alright. I should have watched where I was going."

"Please, allow me," she looked up at her with big blue eyes. There was a blush underneath her dark furred ears. "It was my fault for standing around like that. I, uh, I was eavesdropping on your conversation with Mrs. Hopps..."

"Oh."

I shared in the vixen's blush and rubbed at the back of my head. At least she was honest about it.

"Well...I need to know where the bathrooms are."

"This way…"

One of the porta potties was a hop away from the tent.

It was rabbit-sized, like everything else at the faire. The cheap plastic sink within barely offered enough water to scrub the largest chunks of the pie out of my shirt. A large blue blotch remained, staining my fur underneath.

"I guess that settles if I needed a shower or not," I said, trying my best to dry my damp chest with paper towels.

"Sorry…," Jeanette apologized again, still unable to look me in the eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about it."

Neither of us made a move, which only added to the awkwardness of the scene.

It was hard to follow up on anything with the elephant in the room. Not to mention I was off my game after getting reamed on by Bonnie. I offered Jeanette a subject of conversation, even if it wasn't my smoothest segway.

"So, uh, you heard that talk between me and Mrs. Hopps, huh?"

"U-Uh, yeah…"

"I must sound like some scary city fox to you now, right?"

"No, not at all. My brother taught me to never judge others by what they've been through. You should see them for who they are now."

"Mind telling me who I am then?" I chuckled, feinting amnesia. "I'm a little shellshocked after my talk with Bonnie."

"Uh, Nick Wilde?"

I bit my tongue, not taking into consideration that Jeanette was probably a little sheltered to comprehend my brand of humor. Dumb as it was.

"That was a bad joke, sweetheart. Sorry."

"Oh…"

"But, you know, the funny thing is I've never really told anyone the entire story. Not even Judy knows everything I used to do for my hustling days. You and Bonnie would be the first."

"You sound like you've led a very full life."

"Folks say that. But sometimes I wish I had skipped a few parts of it. I could live without having been inside the animal naturalist club or being flushed down a toilet off a cliffside."

"Is...Is that normal for living in the city?"

"Zootopia supports all walks of life. Some normal. Some insane. Every day can be like a new adventure or a depressing slog through mundanity. It just depends on how you look at it."

"What's your favorite part of the city?"

Don't say Judy. Don't you dare say Judy, Nick.

"Uh, the animals, I guess. You wouldn't know it by living in the burrows, but there's all sorts of mammals out in the world. And they all come to this one place to live, from the mice to the elephants. All of them have their own aspirations. It's chaotic and overwhelming, but sometimes it works well."

"It sounds wonderful."

I recognized the doey-eyed expression of a dreamer on Jeanette's face. The realization finally hit me as to why she had a sudden interest in hearing about Zootopia.

"Do you...Want to move to the city?"

"O-Oh," the vixen's ears dropped to hide her blush. "It's just a silly dream I have. Business with Gideon is great here in the burrows, but I've always wanted to be a master baker with my own shop in the city."

"That's right," I remembered a particular scene from the day before. "The, uh, bunny butt cake was your idea, wasn't it?"

Even with all her red fur, there was no hiding the blush spreading across Jeanette's face, though she tried by covering her eyes with her empty pie tray.

"I'm sorry! It was just a silly little idea I had when we saw the Judy cookies were selling so well! I didn't mean for it to explode into our most popular item!"

It was hard not to laugh. "Well, it certainly caught Judy off guard. Don't worry though, I think it's cute."

"You...You do?"

"Certainly. Just don't go telling Judy that. She's a little sensitive about that word."

"Don't worry..."

"Alright," I stretched, trying to ignore the massive stain still on my chest. "Speaking of Judy, I am well past the reasonable time I said I'd take for lunch. She's going to flip."

I stopped Jeanette before she could say sorry again by tapping her on the snout.

"Hey. Quit apologizing. I enjoyed chatting with you."

"Okay...Thank you, Mr. Wilde."

"Call me Nick," I said with a wink. I hadn't been called 'Mr. Wilde' so much since I was in grade school.

I gave a casual salute to Jeanette and went on my way.

As I walked down the path back to the rides, I had a spring in my step.

My talk with Bonnie had brought some progress. I wasn't dead, for one thing. And besides the threat with my mom, I think I managed to at least amuse her. Judging by her smile, anyway. I wasn't in immediate danger of losing my life, at least. It was just a matter of staying on the lighter side of neutrality with the dreaded bunny mom the entire weekend.

Not to mention the ever burning question of when I was going to bring up my feelings to Judy.


	7. Chapter 7: The Confession

Chapter Seven "The Confession"

Gideon was right. I did need a shower.

Standing the Hopps J section bathroom, I was practically melting under the steady stream of boiling water. Nothing all day had felt so good as washing all the grime and dirt from the faire out of my fur. I leaned back and let the water hit my chest, which was still stained by the blueberry pie. It made me look like Iron Mammal from those Maulvel movies.

It was the first time I had actually been inside the the shower, which was built more like a locker room. Judy had described it as one of the smaller bathrooms, though that was hard to believe. The main bathing area was an open shower with six separate shower heads, though there were only four bedrooms. Outside of the bathing area, there were three toilet stalls and four sinks, each equipped with hygienic tools for the four J siblings. I was just thankful that the bath, while on the short side, was still more than accommodating enough for me.

As I stewed in my own musk, Judy was tapping her foot outside.

"Come on, Nick. Hurry it up. I gotta shower too before the outing."

"You know," I called out in a sing-song voice. "You could just jump in with me, Carrots. Save some time."

I heard her slam her head against the door and I chuckled. She was probably blushing from that comment, red trailing down from her ears to her face.

While I had been off getting interrogated by Bonnie, Stu had approached Judy with plans for the evening.

Apparently, he wanted to try and smooth things over with me, unaware that I had already spoken to his wife.

The plan was to eat and have drinks at the local tavern. Something to make me comfortable.

It would be most of the older Hopps joining us. Stu had also mentioned asking Gideon to come along, perhaps with the intent to 'introduce' me to him. I had a feeling Jeanette would also join her brother. Ending the day with a nice beer and some greasy food sounded perfect.

And I could think of only one thing to make it better.

Between Jenny smelling me out and almost letting my crush slip to Bonnie, I was starting to suspect everyone in Judy's entire family was going to know I had a thing for Judy before Judy herself.

With a moment of silence in the long, busy day, I was trying to contemplate how I could even begin to approach Judy with the subject. Especially now that I was on an even ground with her parents.

Judy had always been a work centric rabbit and thus approached most situations logically, even coldly sometimes. And what I was most afraid of was Judy thinking about a relationship with me from a logical standpoint.

Nothing about this made sense.

Foxes and rabbits were day and night, which was probably why I had been so slow on the uptake. Sure, Judy was progressive. Or, at least, when she was trying to be. But there were plenty of factors to consider with us dating if she said yes.

For starters, work would become a mammal resource nightmare.

The ZPD did not tolerate public displays of affection, if all those sexual harassment courses had taught me anything. We were Bogo's favorite pair for high profile targets. I could only imagine the lecture we would get if we started a relationship together. Some would say they probably saw it coming. But I honestly couldn't tell what Bogo's ultimate decision to do with us would be. If we kept the relationship as quiet and private as possible, he might keep us together out of respect for our service. At worst, we'd probably be separated and get different partners.

What Judy's family would think about the relationship I was less concerned about. But if I knew Judy—and I did—it would be at the frontline of her worries. I got the sense that her family would treat our theoretical relationship mostly the same as they did Jenny's engagement to a raccoon. Quiet with a subtle air of disapproval. Unless I could convince them all I was just a very red, very short-earred rabbit, like I had Pop-Pop.

But I realized I was getting ahead of myself with all these kinds of thoughts.

I didn't even know if Judy felt the same way about me yet.

Sure, we always went to lunch and dinner together. We spent almost all our time together in and out of work. She'd laugh at my dumb jokes…

Okay...Maybe there was something there.

But if that was true, I could see Judy in denial about it. Much like I was. It could all just be wishful thinking anyway.

I sighed as I turned off the water.

On my soggy cream-furred chest was still the blue branding of the pie, even after all the shampooing I did. It would wash off naturally in a few days with my fur's oils, but I would have to hide it in the meantime. Thankfully, the weather was becoming cool enough to wear heavier clothing.

As I stepped out of the shower, towel wrapped around my waist, I shook my fur to let it breath more. The act of showering was great, but it was the drying off afterwards that always made it a pain. That was why I usually opted for a swipe of Musk-Away instead.

I passed Judy on the way out, still tapping her foot disapprovingly. She huffed and slammed the door behind her. She was a cute bunny when impatient. But I was distracting myself.

Judy was right, we had to get moving.

I listened to Judy slip on my shampoo and fumble in the shower as I returned to my bedroom.

I focused on what to wear. The black undershirt needed a wash and I wanted to keep it casual, no longer trying to impress the Hopps. The usual green shirt and slacks it was, though I neglected the tie. I had enough suffocation for one day.

Judy finished her shower faster than I could button my shirt.

When I was completely changed, she was at my door tapping her foot again. Somehow, she was dry and dressed already.

"You're wearing _that_?" she asked, arms crossed. "I guess seeing you change up your fashion sense was too much to hope for."

"Beg pardon, Carrots, but blueberry pie doesn't go well with my wardrobe."

"Neither does ties, apparently. Come on, Nick. You can, at least, wear one."

I wasn't able to stop her as she slipped past me into my room. "What's the big deal?"

"You want to leave a good impression on mom, right?"

I flinched. There was a consequence to not telling Judy I had already smoothed things over with her mother as best I could. Not that I wanted that information public. There were things I said during our talk that were best kept between the two of us for now. Well, three of us if you counted Jeanette too.

I hung my head, resigned to my fate as a dress-up-fox for a much-too-determined bunny.

Judy dug around in my suitcase before settling on my ugly tie.

"You can't be serious…" I groaned.

I had always brought my ugly tie with me as a joke or a replacement if all my other ties had spontaneously caught fire. It was an unseemly thing, made of wool instead of silk. The handmade stitchings were frayed in a few corners and the moss green color had begun to fade. But it was probably the last piece of clothing my mom had knitted for me and hard to get rid of for that reason alone.

"Quiet," Judy ordered as she tightened the noose around my neck.

Before I could even blink, she had tied a perfect Pratt knot. She pulled down the smaller end and took my breath away. I wasn't used to such a snug fit and I pulled at my collar.

"Better," she said, inspecting me over. "Passing, anyway. I would still hang around dad tonight, just to be safe."

Her paw lingered to the touch of my tie for longer than you normally would to feel the material. She looked pensive and I had to clear my throat to grab her attention.

"...Sorry. Lost in thought. Let's go."

Well, that was odd.

I couldn't help but wonder what Judy was so nervous about as she guided me to the front lawn. It wasn't her butt on the line with her folks. I suppose she had done a lot of thinking about her plans for me that evening.

Outside, it was a cool fall evening with the sun being a dying orange ball hanging low in the sky. It made everything, not just the leaves on the trees, glow with its vibrant last-lights.

The kits were playing again, football this time. One of them scored a touchdown as we hopped into the pickup truck parked at the driveway.

Judy waved good bye to her siblings and Pop-Pop as we took off for the town square.

Farmlands once again gave way to signs of civilization, with telephone poles festively decorated by pumpkins and carrots. A bit early for Halloween, but it was charming to see the spirit on display with such heartfelt honesty.

I guess it was what they meant by "small town values."

As we approached the burrow's proper, I saw buildings more than two stories tall for a change. The sight was far from what I expected when I thought of a rabbit burrow townsquare. There were no hills or picket fences, but brick buildings that looked a hundred years old. Each one we drove by looked well cared for, but I could tell their age by the peeling paint and the scent of old stone.

It was a simple town with maybe a dozen stores, a museum, a town hall, and a handful of restaurants catering to the older generation, judging by the signs. The theme was carrots, with buildings painted orange and green tiled roofs. Even the street signs were molded in the shape of the iconic vegetable. I had to admit that the look worked with the autumn foliage.

Judy slowed the truck on the main street.

We neared what looked like an old wood mill by its large windows and dominating space along a stream that skirted the side of the town square. It was probably the largest building around for miles.

At the foot of the mill was a black sign painted in gold with the words "Miss Lead" in the shape of a pin up bunny silhouette. Stairs off the sidewalk led down into the basement of the building.

Judy answered the question in my eyes.

"The pub was made downstairs during the days the mine was open. It's below the old wood mill. Dad used to know the owner's son before he moved back to Clawnanda."

"Talk about old fashioned," I commented aloud as I ducked to follow Judy into the tavern.

The tranquil silence I had grown accustomed to in the farmlands was offset instantly by the roar of a rowdy crowd. It didn't take long for me to realize most of the patrons were rabbits, with features similar to Judy's. A few cheered at the sight of her as we entered the pub.

"Juuuude!"

"Hey Judy!"

"Who's the fox?"

"Your boyfriend?"

Judy huffed, though I still caught the blush on her ears.

It dawned on me that, while I had become chummy with Jenny, there were still almost three hundred more siblings I wasn't familiar with.

Judy's confident swagger devolved into a protective slump as we slunk into the pub.

It was a typical setup, with the actual bar at the center in a circular counter so that the tender could reach all sides of the room. Booths lined the outer walls, each filled with more of Judy's older siblings. The tapster was an old squirrel with bushy eyebrows that blocked his eyes. He was cleaning a glass and chatting with Stu and Bonnie, who were situated at the very center of their family gathering. Next to them, I spied the red fur of two foxes.

Gideon had cleaned up nicely, combing the mess of fur at the top of his head and donning a white shirt with suspenders. He was outshined by Jeanette, though. The vixen was wearing a lovely black dress with matching dark lipstick and eyeshadow that made her look almost goth were it not for her vibrant fur underneath it all. She caught a glimpse of me and averted her eyes with a blush.

Gideon was the first to call us over. "Hey there, Judy. Mr. Wilde."

Judy raised an eyebrow to me as we took our seats next to Gideon. "You two know each other?"

"How do you think I got the blueberry pie on me, Fluff?"

"Throwing me under the tractor there, Mr. Wilde," Gideon chuckled.

I realized how bad I made that sound for Gideon, but rolled with it.

"He would have thrown a mean right hook too if I hadn't subdued him with my police training."

"Hah. I haven't been in a fight since…"

Gideon stopped and glanced to Judy sullenly.

"Well, that's water under the bridge, I hope," he said, giving Judy an awkward smile.

She smiled back and shrugged. "That all depends on you, Gideon Grey. My folks said you've turn over a new leaf and it certainly looks like it. Just don't go clawing any of my siblings or you'll hear from me."

"I think you'd have to get in line after Bonnie is through with me..."

Judy laughed and we settled in.

Gideon relaxed a bit more as we ordered our first round of drinks. A blueberry daiquiri for me and carrots and gin for Judy.

It was rare for me to even see her drinking. She insisted she'd just be having the one for a pleasant buzz to take the edge off the evening.

As Judy sipped at her glass, she looked past Gideon and noticed Jeanette.

"Hi there, have we met before?"

Jeanette yelped and burrowed away in her own glass, almost trying to hide from Judy's gaze. "I-I've seen you around."

"This here is Jeanette," said Gideon. "My little sister."

"Huh. I didn't even know you had a sister, Gideon."

"Yeah, she's a little quiet but she's an amazing baker. Better than me, even."

I waited to see if Judy would make the connection of who was responsible for the bunny butt cake from the day before. Thankfully, it appeared she had blocked out that particular memory from her brain.

Seeing Gideon had a sister warmed Judy up to him and he grew more open to conversation.

After Gideon had told me the whole story with Judy's clawing that afternoon, I could only imagine that it would be rough for him to be sitting next to her. He still looked a little tense, given their history.

"So," Jeanette braved a look at Judy. "You and Mr. Wilde are...partners?"

"Police partners, yup. The first rabbit and first fox of the ZPD. Just here on a mini break before we get back to it. It's nice to be home for a little while. Though it feels like things have changed a lot since I've been gone."

"...Things always feel the same here to me," the vixen spoke softly, but didn't stutter. "Staying in one place and days going by without ever really changing."

"I guess it's a matter of perspective then, right? If you're around something every day, you never really notice it until you step away for awhile."

"I guess you're right…"

Talk about a downer. Even Judy sensed that there was a heavier undertone to Jeanette's words and her ears drooped slightly.

Thankfully, Bonnie came to her rescue.

"Judy," said her mother. "Jeanette. I could use your girls' help with something."

Bonnie gestured to Jenny, who was sitting in the corner of the tavern in her own booth. The chubby rabbit was looking miserable and texting at phone, to her fiancé if I had to guess.

Judy sighed, knowing what would probably be coming.

"Alright," she said. "Let's get this over with so I can enjoy the rest of my evening."

Gideon gave me a concerned look as the women left the counter. "What was that all about?"

I shrugged. "If I had to guess? An intervention."

"Well, why did she need to bring Jeanette with her?"

It was probably to look less biased when they confronted Jenny about marrying a raccoon. It was hard to bring up the species card when sitting next to a bunny's natural predator. And that was just the sort of conniving tactic I would expect from Bonnie.

"Dunno," I lied with a smile. "She'll be fine though. Bonnie's sweet on your sister."

"Hello, boys."

Stu took Judy's vacant seat.

I should have guessed if Bonnie was on the move then her husband wouldn't sit still. He looked nervous, sitting between two large foxes. I had to commend him for his bravery...Until he made it awkward.

"So, you're probably the first foxes to visit this bar."

Gideon and I shared a look of bemusement. The both of us were used to comments like that and Stu was just trying to make conversation. I decided to throw him a carrot by changing the subject.

"That reminds me. The sign at the train station, the one with the population count. Is that accurate? Are there really eighty million rabbits in Bunnyburrow?"

Both Stu and Gideon laughed. That still didn't answer my question.

"No offense, Mr. Wilde," said Stu. "But you stick out like a sore thumb in the country."

"None taken, Stu. I can't imagine you'd fare much better in Zootopia."

A little friendly ribbing was a sign of a budding relationship between two males. Stu seemed to sense this and chuckled.

"We've been meaning to visit Judy. It's just hard to find a break during the harvest season. But maybe in winter we'll make that trip. We'd like to keep in touch with her as much as we can. She's the first in the family to settle outside the burrow."

"What about her sister?" I dug around my memory for her name. "Jacklyn?"

"Jacky made it quite clear on leaving that she didn't want to be followed or contacted. She was more restless here than Judy was and frustrated by the lifestyle. I'm not worried about her so much though. She's around good company."

"She moved to Clawnanda, right? That's a bit far for a bunny to travel."

"I know a good buddy from there who's keeping an eye on her. It drives Bonnie noots, but I know that you can't have three hundred kits without having a few who want to do their own thing. As outlandish as that can be with the J's..."

There was that word again. Noots. I remembered Jenny saying it earlier and her suggestion to ask her father about its meaning.

"Noots, huh? I heard that mentioned around the burrow, but what's it from?"

"Actually, it's a funny story…" Stu started and then stared at his empty drink. "But I don't want to bore you boys."

"We'd love to hear it," I shot Gideon a wink. "Right, Chief?"

"Uh, sure. Let's hear it, Mr. H."

"Alright, I need another drink then."

The bartender poured Stu a shot of carrot vodka, which the rabbit downed in one sip. I could recognize a tipsy mammal anywhere.

Stu glanced over to the booth, where Bonnie, Judy and Jenny were arguing with each other.

I had done my best to ignore their conversation over the din of the bar, but they were starting to make a scene. Jeanette looked the most uncomfortable in the group and just stared down at her drink. Jenny and her mother were a little heated. I caught a few words of "ridiculous" or phrases like "he doesn't even have a ring."

Stu lingered his gaze on Bonnie and smiled.

"I don't know what Judy told you boys," he began. "But Bonnie came from the high life. Her father ran the local mine and was the richest bunny in the burrows. They were a small family though, given Pop-Pop was so focused in his work. But there was a time when they owned a majority of the town. Everyone knew who they were and we all knew not to get on her father's bad side. So, Bonnie and her siblings were all given a wide berth and started their own crowds of followers. You might call them the rich, popular kits."

"And then there's me. A dirt poor Hopp. My family owned only one acre of land, where we grew a small patch of carrots that was expected to feed a hundred rabbits for a season. My momma was lame in the legs, so we had to handle most of the farming. And my daddy had passed away working in the mines from black lung. So, we had the rough life. Only friend I had to my name was a squirrel from Clawnanda named Bartholomew, but that was a mouthful and we just called him Bart. Thickest Clawnandian accent on that fellow, I'll tell you what."

The alcohol was starting to affect Stu and I noticed a red hue on his cheeks.

"I didn't meet Bonnie until the Carrot Day festival one season. This was about thirty years ago, mind you and I'm a handsome buck. I'm fit from working the fields, but covered in dirt with calloused paws. Funny thing is, I don't think Bonnie was supposed to even be there. She had snuck away from her father, who would never let her enjoy the faire like that. It was thanks to Bart that we met, actually. We were messing around with water balloons and he threw one out of my reach, only for it to land on Bonnie. I went over to apologize and...Well...Fell in love."

"Of course, Bon rejected my advances. I knew she found me attractive. But there was the inbred distaste towards poor folks, like me, instilled by her father. She thought I was only after her money. But I was persistent. I made it less about what was convenient for me and more what was for her. Kept her company during school. Talked about her life during lunch. Showed her around the farm. Something must have worked somewhere in there, because a year later we were dating."

I recognized something of Judy and myself in the story so far. Especially with the theme about overcoming inbred distaste. Maybe there was some hope for us after all.

"So, that's the background. Now, where 'noots' comes from. Naturally, we kept our relationship a secret from her father. But, in a small town, word gets out fast. So, of course, he figured it out and wasn't too happy with his daughter lowering herself to date a rabbit who barely had an acre to his name. But I had my own big plans with Bart, after giving up a few dreams of grandeur like being a firefighter. I settled on the career of a practical carrot farmer. An honest profession. See, originally, Bart and I had the idea to go into business together after school. I'd grow the crops and Bart would transport them to the cities. We just needed a loan, something to get us started and pay for good land and a vehicle for Bart. I told Bonnie all about this, right, and she probably let it slip to her father at some point."

"Now, I have to ask you boys. You've seen the golden carrot at the Hopps Harvest? The one on display in the middle?"

We both nodded in agreement.

"Well, her father offered that to me in exchange for leaving Bonnie alone. It was worth more than enough money to get us started on our plans for building a farm."

"You took his offer?" I asked, a little surprised.

"Course I didn't. But believe me, the temptation was strong to do it. I don't think I've ever had a more difficult decision. With Bonnie though, there never really was a real choice. She won out every time. So, in front of both her and her father, I flat out refused his offer."

Stu let out a deep breath through his front teeth as he smirked.

"If you could only hear Bart afterwards when I told him I declined our best chance for a loan. He went full on Clawnandian with me, accent going off the wall. I didn't even know there were that many curse words in the dictionary. But there was one phrase he kept repeating, over and over."

Stu cleared his throat and put on his best Clawnandian accent, helped with a thin layer of drunkenness.

"You're freakin' noots, Hopps! You're freakin' noots!"

I snorted. The impression was exactly of what was stereotypical in the great white north. Next to Stu, Gideon was struggling to keep his drink from shooting out his nose.

"I told Bon all about it, of course. She cracked up. I think we were both just relieved the matter with her father had been settled at that point. Bart eventually cooled down. But the saying stuck ever since. Now it's carried over to the next generation of Hopps."

"How did you end up getting the golden carrot then?" I asked.

"Well, after all that happened, it wasn't long before Bon and I were engaged. Bart and I managed to start the business up on our own, through a lot of sacrifice and toil. But, eventually, we had a ten acre farm going and a means of earning our livelihood. Bonnie even took work as a baker for awhile so we wouldn't have to rely on her father at all. The golden carrot was a wedding gift, given to us as a peace offering. Pop-Pop admitted that he was wrong about me and I was welcomed as his son-in-law."

"That's a great story, Mr. Hopps," said Gideon, wiping his drink from his nose.

"Well, thanks for hearing it, boys. You're official nooters, now."

"What happened to Bart?" I asked. I hadn't heard Judy ever mention the squirrel before.

"Oh, he went back to Clawnanda around twenty years ago for a better opportunity and to be closer with his family still up there. But I give him monthly calls and some of the older kits know him as Uncle Bart. He's the one who's keeping an eye on Jacky for me. I'd trust that mammal with my life."

"I'll bet," I said, though my thoughts trailed to Stu's story. And then to Judy.

In my mind, Judy fit her mother's role in the story perfectly. The rabbit with a disapproving family that didn't care too much for foxes.

Stu faced nearly the same obstacles I was seeing pursuing Judy. Yet he somehow prevailed, despite being a bumbling bunny.

Even though I was thirty-two years old, and had been in a dozen relationships myself, I had never encountered this kind of situation before. In all my experiences, the attraction had been mutual through foxes.

Any mammal could tell you that we had our own ways of displaying affection that were unique to the species. It wasn't that inter-species relationships were unheard of. They were just more challenging.

As Jenny pointed out, scent often played a huge part in romance.

I could tell you whenever a male fox was being territorial or whenever a vixen was in heat. Or even who had been marked. But if you asked me to do the same for a rabbit, I'd be hard pressed. It'd be like the equivalent of dating blindfolded. I was losing valuable senses that could determine subtle cues I was missing. Not to mention there were anatomy and size differences. Judy came up to my chest without her ears. I could only imagine would that would be like in bed. And speaking of sex, reproduction was out the window. Science hadn't evolved enough to crack cross-species breeding.

My mouth moved on its own. "How did you approach Bonnie about your feelings for her, Stu?"

Both Gideon and Stu raised an eyebrow. It was an odd question to just blurt out and I felt the tips of my ears burn slightly.

"Well...I just trusted my gut and told her I liked her, I suppose. We had been hanging out as friends for a while after meeting at the faire. I knew how I felt and just came clean."

"That probably made things awkward between you."

"Oh, certainly. Especially since she rejected me at first. But I respected her decision and opted to remain friends. Those were a tough few months, but eventually she came around and asked me out."

"She asked _you_ out?"

"Bon is a tough bunny, Mr. Wilde. She was never the type to be wooed by bravado. Same goes for most of her daughters. The way to a doe-like-that's heart is to let her make up her own mind about you. Bonnie came around on her own after learning more about me and my life. I just needed to be there for her and be patient with her. After letting her know I was interested in her, of course."

"I get it…Good advice"

"You're in need of advice, Mr. Wilde?"

"Huh?" I asked, realizing I might have let my intentions slip. "Oh, maybe. I'm always on the lookout for advice, being single."

"Huh," said Gideon. "I pegged you more as a player, Mr. Wilde, being a slick city fox."

I chuckled. "At one point, maybe. Now I'm more interested in settling down, I think."

Across the bar, the argument between Judy, Jenny, Bonnie, and Jeanette was winding down.

Jenny rose from the table with salt in her eyes. Bonnie was looking exasperated as she followed her older daughter out of the tavern, where their shouting match was likely to continue.

Judy and Jeanette remained sitting, with Judy looking pensive and apologetic to the vixen. I could only guess that the conversation did not go well.

I sighed and rattled the ice of my empty daiquiri. "Be right back. I need to visit the little fox's room."

The bathrooms of the tavern amounted to little more than a few stalls with absolutely no sitting room for someone my size.

But that was fine. I wasn't there to relieve myself.

I hunched over one of the sinks, staring deep at myself in the mirror. The booze was waking me up a little, but I still had tired eyes.

"You look rough, Nick," I said to myself as I turned on the water and patted my face. "What are these rabbits doing to you?"

When I finished cleaning myself, I hung my head and gripped the sides of the sink. Tightly.

There was a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, worming its way up to my chest.

Maybe it was the booze in my system, coupled with a lack of food, but I was having thoughts. The kind of thoughts I might regret later. The corny love story I had just heard didn't help matters either. In fact, it was probably entirely to blame.

Stu's words of advice had inspired something in me.

The week had been a lesson in self control for me. Keeping the pleasant Nick mask on all the time. It was like wearing a muzzle around Judy.

Now that I was alone, I wanted to rip the sink from the wall and scream.

I was getting tired of being tired. I hated sleeping alone with a wall between me and Judy. I hated pretending that I was fine around her while being a mess inside.

Stu, the bumbling rabbit, had managed to confess to Bonnie against similar odds. Heck, he even managed to _marry_ the rabbit of his dreams.

What was I afraid of? What excuse did I have anymore?

"I gotta tell her," I whispered. "Tonight. The first chance I get. If she says no then…"

My mouth dried.

If Judy said no, it was going to sting.

But I was old enough to know that heartbreak wasn't going to kill me. I could expect a long train ride back home followed by many awkward patrol rides around the city. But it would be out there.

She would know.

"...Then I'll deal with it."

I smoothed back the fur on my head, pointed guns at myself in the mirror for a little humor, and turned to face the music.

I didn't expect to run into Judy right out the door.

"Oh, there you are, Nick."

I was taken aback for a moment. Judy was looking for me? Did something happen?

"Do you, uh, have a minute to talk alone?" she asked, voice dropped to a whisper.

"Uh, sure, Carrots."

I was thrown off my game.

It had been my plan to seize control of the situation and speak to Judy in private, not the other way around. Confusion prevented me from putting on my critical thinking cap.

I found myself being guided to the back of the bar, which dumped into one of the side streets.

It was dark out after a couple of hours in the pub. A single street light shined in the alleyway, illuminating the two of us as we stepped out into the night.

We were alone. There wasn't even the sound of cars passing by.

Under the dim spotlight, Judy was beautiful. Even just being in jeans and a sweater with a shawl, she looked gorgeous. Her purple eyes were brighter than even the stars above us.

She shivered, letting out a puff of steam.

"Chilly…"

I would have offered her my coat if I had one.

"So, what's up, Fluff?"

"This is gonna sound weird, but…"

She sighed and faced me.

"Nick. I've never asked you about your relationship status before."

In a rare moment of weakness, I stammered. "M-My relationship status?"

"I...I mean, I know you're single. But I never asked about your preferences. Your types. And...I'm making this awkward, aren't I?"

Judy looked flustered, but it was me who was a wreck inside.

I had been caught completely off-guard.

My heart was going so fast that I thought I was going to have cardiac arrest and I unconsciously clutched at my chest.

Was Judy trying to ask me out? Was I so blind that I didn't even notice she had been struggling with her own feelings for me?

Judy looked away and tugged at her ears. "Ugh, how do I ask this right?"

"It's...It's fine, Carrots. Take your time."

She sighed and glanced back to me, blush eating up most of her face. But there was determination in her eyes.

This was going to be it.

This is what Stu was talking about. Judy was going to be the one to ask me out. All that heartache over the week was for nothing.

For once, a fox was going to have a happy ending.

"Look, Nick," she began. "Jeanette told me that she had her eye on you. And I said that I'd help her out. So...So is she someone you'd be interested in dating?"

Oh.


	8. Chapter 8: Miss Lead

Chapter Eight "Miss Lead"

Nick looked like he had been stunned by an elephant taser.

He had on the same face he did when I busted him for tax evasion back at the start of the Nighthowler case. It would have been funny if I wasn't already nervous about bringing up such a bizarre topic out of left field.

"Nick?" I asked.

"I heard you, Carrots," he said. The look of shock and horror vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I...Wasn't aware you were in the habit of playing matchmaker."

"I'm not," I crossed my arms. "Look...It's complicated. But it boils down to this. I feel bad for Jeanette and I wanted to do something for her after my mother dragged her into our little confrontation with Jenny. She mentioned she was interested in you and I was wondering if you felt the same way."

Even though I had known him for months, I still had a hard time reading exactly what Nick was thinking. He always wore a veil of expressions ranging from playful smirks to disquiet neutrality.

Tonight, he was true neutral with the slightest taint of discomfort in his green eyes. Or was it sadness? I didn't tell him, but he had been looking miserable the whole week. That was another reason why I had agreed to play the matchmaker for Jeanette.

I was worried for him.

Nick hadn't been sleeping and it showed in his performance at work. I could cover for him well enough, but it wasn't getting any better as the week went on.

When he agreed to come down to the burrow with me, I had planned for him to have a good, relaxing time. Maybe we'd do some work around the faire and then check out the town before finishing with the carnival at the end as a cherry on top. But things were never simple with mom and dad.

After the conflict over Jenny's choice of fiancé, it felt as if my parents were projecting their frustrations onto Nick. That was all the more reason why I wasn't pleased with Jen. What Nick needed was a recovery vacation and instead I ended up dragging him into my family drama.

You should have known better, Judy Hopps. If drama was a country, mom would be queen.

Rabbits had a saying that the bigger the family, the bigger the drama. I should have checked ahead of time. I should have spoken to Jenny to get an inkling what was happening down at the farm. Now, I was afraid my best friend was having the roughest weekend of his life entirely because of me and my big mouth. I told myself that if I couldn't give him a good weekend, then maybe there was someone else who would.

And maybe that would lead to something more for him. Who could say? Fox meets fox, right?

Nick grunted and rubbed the back of his head.

"Look...I dunno. She seems nice enough, I guess. But I have a feeling there would be...Complications."

"Like what?"

I detected a rather annoyed glare from Nick's eyes, like he was angry at me for having to explain himself.

"Like...Age, for one thing. She's even younger than you are, Carrots."

"So? You look young for your age, Nick. You could pass for twenty, easy."

"Thanks, I guess…"

"What else?"

I knew I was pushing into something uncomfortable for Nick to talk about. But it was in my inquisitive nature to know everything.

"...I dunno. She's Gideon's sister? I mean, I barely know the fox and just shared drinks with him. Isn't it awkward if I suddenly just started dating his little sister out of the blue?"

"I don't see why that should matter so much. Gideon would understand. There's only a handful of foxes in the burrow, so it's not like suitors are lining up."

"And do you think she fully understands _who_ she's getting involved with?"

"Nick, what are you talking about? You're a good fox."

"Sure I am. For the last few months as a cop. But what about before that?"

I hadn't thought of Nick as a con artist in such a long time that I had almost forgotten he used to hustle mammals for a living. I just assumed that he had given up that life and moved past it. I would have never considered that it still bothered him.

"It doesn't matter who you were, Nick," I said, thinking of that time in the skylift with him. "What matters is who you are now."

"Is that what you _really_ think?"

"Yes, I do."

Though his face was neutral, his eyes didn't believe me. Nick sighed and forced his paws into his pockets.

"Look...Is this really what you want me to do, Carrots?"

I felt like he was asking me a question that had great weight. But, for the life of me, I couldn't begin to imagine what he meant.

"I just want you to be happy, Nick."

He looked hesitant. And then resigned.

I frowned as he hung his head low and sighed again. Something was definitely eating at him, but to press him about it would only make him hide it from me more. And I could tell that he was quickly losing his patience with this line of questioning. I'd mill it out of him eventually.

"Alright," he said after a minute of silence. "I'm willing to give this a shot, Carrots. But it can't be through you. If she musters up the courage to ask me, face to face, I'll take her out. I guess."

I smiled but couldn't shake a bad feeling I was having.

"Thanks, Nick. At the very least, I think it will do Jeanette some good, right?"

Wincing at my own words, I realized that I may have been asking Nick to go along with something he really had no interest in. Again.

But I told myself that if he really was against it, he wouldn't resign himself like that. It couldn't be so important that he didn't want to talk to me about it.

Nick tried his best to smile, showing both his fangs and his dread. It was the same expression I had seen him use when the main course in the ZPD cafeteria was dung beetle. That day, I learned the hard way that Nick was a vegetarian. Rare for preds, but not unheard of.

We slumped back into the pub to find little had changed, though everyone seemed a tad sloshed.

Nick rejoined Gideon and dad to order some much needed food.

I ignored the suggestive calls from a few of my siblings and sat down with Jeanette at the booth I left her in. The vixen had been quietly keeping to her drink, but looked up at me with hopeful eyes upon my return.

"That could have gone better," I said, slipping into my seat.

"N-No good?"

"I think he's just in a bad mood. He has been all week. But he said he was willing to give the date a shot. You'd just have to be the one to ask him."

"Ah," Jeanette looked quite nervous at the prospect. "What if he says no?"

"I don't think he will. He's not the kind of fox to lie." Not anymore, anyway.

"Well...uh...What kind of fox is he?"

The question gave me pause.

How did I begin to describe Nick without telling Jeanette about the sensitive parts of his past? Was it wise to let Jeanette know that Nick was a reformed con artist? At the same time, it wasn't fair to not give the vixen some warning to what she was getting herself into.

Nick wasn't a bad fox. But he had a certain personality that some would find grating. Bogo would certainly think so sometimes. There were days when Nick went too far with his jokes, but there was no one else I'd rather have as a partner. Or trust with my life.

"He's...Complicated," I said, suddenly desiring another drink. "He's got a tough exterior because he's from the city. But deep down, he's pretty sensitive. He'll say he doesn't care about specific issues, but in private he'll be fully invested. And he jokes around because he likes to make you laugh. But also because laughing hides some stuff he's afraid to talk about."

"He...Sounds a lot like me."

I hid a laugh.

Jeanette seemed like a nice fox, but she wore her emotions on her sleeve. In my mind, she and Nick couldn't be more opposite. But sometimes the best couples contrasted.

"I guess I can see that. You just need to be more confident around him. You'll do fine. He likes it when mammals are honest with him."

"Well, uh, what else does he like?"

"Blueberries," I said almost instantly. "Funny enough, I discovered that completely by accident."

"Blueberries," Jeanette repeated the word, pondering her drink. "I think...I think I can remember that. Anything else?"

I searched my head to find an answer for Jeanette. My ears drooped when I couldn't think of anything else.

Why was this hard?

I knew Nick for months. But as I replayed my memories of all the times we chatted on patrol, I quickly realized that there were very few instances the conversations ever shifted to him. Mostly, we only ever talked about work. Or what we were doing after hours. It was small talk and whenever we shifted topics to something personal, usually the focus was on me and my own problems.

Was I a bad friend?

I couldn't tell Jeanette what Nick's favorite color was. What was his favorite drink? What was his favorite movie or book? Ice cream flavor? When was his birthday? I didn't even know what his preferences in females were, if such a thing even existed. He could have been gay and I'd have never known. He was such a private fox.

I grabbed at my ears and slumped over the table.

"I...Can't think of anything. Why can't I think of anything?"

"I-It's alright...You only started working with him recently, right?"

"Like six months ago. That should be more than enough time to know the basics of someone I call my best friend. I feel useless. I'm so sorry, Jean."

"It's okay, Judy...I was expecting to do this alone, anyway. I just thought I might ask you for some help."

My memories shifted to our conversation just a few minutes ago at the booth...

The talk with Jenny had not gone well.

Mom intended to use her relationship with Jeanette as an excuse to show she wasn't being specist in her disapproval of Rocky. Jenny wasn't hearing any of it and said some pretty hurtful things to mom. And then to me.

After getting over the initial shock of the marriage announcement, I continued to sway between what to think about Rocky.

On one paw, I knew he was a jerk who would steal from other mammals constantly when we were kits. As far as I knew, that behavior continued into high school. He was in the same league as Gideon in my eyes back then, and sometimes worse in his own twisted way. I could distinctly remember going hungry several times in grade school because _someone_ swiped my lunch money when I wasn't looking.

But Gideon had changed in the time I had been gone from the burrows. Was it fair for me to be biased against Rocky if I hadn't seen him for myself yet? Jenny promised me that he was reformed and getting better as a truck driver for goods between the burrow and the city, as well as some side gigs. But I had see to him to believe it and remained indifferent.

It was my neutrality that Jen called me out on.

While she suffered the brunt of mom's assault, I sat quietly by and added very little to either side. When Jenny called for my help, I ended up siding with mom.

In the fallout, Jenny stormed out with mom close behind her to get in the final word.

Jeanette had just sat there awkwardly in the midst of the family drama. Again, I had dragged someone else into our craziness.

In an effort to comfort Jeanette, we small talked.

That's when I learned about her thing with Nick.

While Nick was busy chatting with dad, Jeanette continued to shoot him awkward stares when she thought I wouldn't notice. But I caught on pretty quick.

Jean wasn't accustomed to hiding her emotions and when I brought up the glances at Nick, she blushed and made excuses. It was only when I pressed the subject that she confessed to having a crush on him after seeing him at the faire.

Jeanette had gotten real nervous about the prospect.

She explained that she had never been in a relationship before and had no idea how to even approach starting one. I tried to tell to her that I was the worst possible mammal to go for relationship advice, having never dated before myself.

But I also was the closest mammal to Nick in the burrow. Maybe even the closest in Zootopia too.

The thought that I could call myself his best friend and know almost nothing about him riddled me with guilt. But I figured I owed Jeanette a favor after she had been dragged into another one of my mom's episodes. And maybe Nick could get some relaxation from a date, though hindsight told me that was a stupid idea.

"Can I ask you something, Jean?"

The vixen nodded as she finished her drink.

"Why are you interested in Nick? I mean, I think he's a great fox. But you've only just met him. And you seem so…"

"Cowardly?"

"Shy," I softened her word.

"Yeah, I heard that a lot growing up," Jeanette put on a deeper tone of voice I hadn't heard her use before. "I was always hiding in my brother's shadow as a kit. I was a cry baby and hated the other mammals."

It was no wonder I never really knew Jeanette until this weekend.

"What changed?"

"I…"

She paused and frowned before continuing.

"I guess I just got tired of it. I started making changes. Small ones. I got my ears pierced. I tried talking to mammals more. I think I left an impression on Gid. He started seeing a shrink about his feelings and got better. We opened our shop together and started pulling our family name out of the dirt."

I nodded along, understanding. "So, trying to date Nick is you attempting to come out of your shell more?"

The question sent Jean back to her stuttering self.

"I-It's a slow process. But that's only part of it...I think he may like me."

"Really? What gave you that impression?"

"His smell," she said, with a blush at her ears. "When I met him at the faire, he was emitting strong aggressive pheromones. The kind only a fox can detect. So, I just assumed…"

I would have no experience dealing with fox biology, but if it was anything like rabbit hormones then they would be pretty hard to ignore. Working in the city, I had gotten used to so many scents and smells that it was hard to focus on one in particular. Especially of another species.

"Huh," I muttered aloud. "Maybe then...He's always so hard to read..."

"But I need to ask him out…" Jeanette stared at her empty glass, probably craving another drink. "Alright. I'll do it."

I gave her a smile. "Good luck. You'll do fine."

Even though I said that, Jeanette was still bow legged as she stood up and stumbled to the bar. I would have thought she had been drinking too much if I didn't know it was just nerves. I gave her one last wave before she approached Nick, who was chatting with Gideon.

I didn't have the opportunity to see how she did.

Mom had re-entered the bar when I wasn't looking and slipped into Jeanette's vacant seat. A quick glance at her told me that her continued conversation with Jenny had not gone well. Though her ears were perched high, her brow was furrowed and her nose was scrunched like she had just witnessed an offensive odor.

"Well," she said with a sigh. "Your sister has stormed off."

I gave her a sympathetic frown. "She'll come back, mom. You just need to give her space."

"I'm not worried about her not coming back, Judy. I'm worried about her throwing her life away with a mammal who doesn't really care about her."

"She knows that. And she knows to be careful. She'll be fine."

"And what do you think about all this?"

"You know I never really liked Rocky. But you didn't raise any dumb bunnies. If Jenny wants us to give him a chance, why don't we meet him first? At least?"

"Just...Do me a favor, Judy. Keep an eye on her, okay? This whole thing has me worried about her. I've been fine with the other predators she's brought home, but something gives me a bad feeling about this raccoon. This proposal feels too sudden and I've heard horrible things about this Rocky fellow. Even Gideon doesn't associate with him anymore."

I resisted rolling my eyes. "I'll try my best, mom."

"Thanks, Judy," she looked like she could breath a little easier.

I rarely saw mom so worked up over something like this. Had she and Jenny been fighting constantly while I was in the city? It was hard to say when I only ever spoke to my family over the phone until now. Family gossip was not the kind of conversation you could just casually bring up on the line. And, besides Jacky, Jen had always been the most outspoken Hopp against mom's helicopter parenting.

Before I could change the subject, Jeanette stumbled back to the booth.

"I did it," she said, slipping into the seat next to mom. There was a smile on her face, though she looked as if she had just run a marathon.

Mom raised an eye. "Did what, dear?"

"She just asked Nick out, mom."

Mom's eyes widened slightly. "Really? That's...That's great. And he said yes?"

"W-Well, he said he'd be willing to hang out and see how it went. Provided we weren't working tomorrow."

"I'm sure your brother can manage the pie stall," I said, giving a sly wink to my mother. "And mom would be happy to give Nick a _break_ to check out the sights around the burrow. Right, mom?"

Mom was playing catch up. She looked to Jeanette and then to Nick at the bar. There was something calculating about her glances.

"...Certainly. You can take the morning off and come back to finish up in the afternoon. Enjoy your date together, Jeanette. And tell me all about it when you're done."

"I-I'm not sure if you could really call it a date," Jean rubbed the back of her head. "He made it more sound like a way to get to know each other first before committing to anything. And I've never gone out with someone before. I'm nervous…"

Jeanette shot me a worried glance.

"Judy...I'd hate to ask, but...But can you be there with me, at least for tomorrow?"

"Go with you on the date? Won't that make things awkward?"

"I'm already going to make it awkward," she said, looking down at her feet. "If you could be on paw to help me in case I really mess things up, I'd be so grateful to you…"

"Sometimes mammals just need a push in the right direction," said mom.

"I wouldn't…"

I stopped to look at mom.

She was giving me her demanding glare with stern eyes, like I was in trouble for something.

Did she still not trust Nick enough that she didn't want to leave him alone with Jeanette, who she treated like one of her own daughters?

I turned to Jeanette next to her. She stared up at me with pleading eyes, contrasting my mom. I was probably the worst mammal to consult for dating advice. But who else would even know Nick well enough to help her?

"I...I mean...I guess I can…"

"You can keep an eye out for your sister too," mom added to her case for me to go. "I'm certain we won't see her tonight and I'd like to make sure she's alright."

"Sure, mom…"

"Then it's settled," Jeanette said. "Can I pick you both up at nine tomorrow?"

My gaze trailed to at the bar, where Nick was engaged in listening to another one of my dad's stories. Though he smiled and nodded along, I could tell there was something was off about his eyes. They looked strained and almost depressed.

Suddenly, I had a bad feeling about this half-date.

"Sounds good…"


	9. Chapter 9: Cold Shower

Chapter Nine "Cold Shower"

Eight o'clock on the dot.

I hit my alarm before it could blare its second buzzer. I then jumped to the floor of my old bedroom and got to work preparing for Nick's half-date.

One hour until Jeanette showed up and I had a lot to do to complete my morning rituals.

First on the list: five minutes of stretching.

I raised a foot up on the bed and leaned forward as I pondered what the day was going to hold for Nick and I. Especially after what happened the night before...

The bad feeling in my gut didn't disappear, even after we left the tavern.

Nick had been quiet the whole ride home, making me feel worse. It was like I had asked him to do something he found horrible. But he didn't have the stomach to tell me what was wrong. His silence only made me angry and I took out my rage on the road. Somewhere last night, I remembered stumbling to bed. I was exhausted and tipsy, even though I only had one drink.

Stretching my legs made me realize that I had a throbbing headache and I cut my morning exercise short.

I hopped to the bathroom to brush my teeth, trying to keep quiet so I wouldn't wake Nick.

The whole J section of the burrow was abandoned.

It didn't look like Jenny had come home last night, judging by how her door had remained closed. Most of the family would probably be out in the fields or at the faire preparing for tomorrow's festival.

"Crackers," I muttered as I reached the sink. "Out of toothpaste…"

Nothing soiled a day quicker than a bad start.

I borrowed some toothpaste from Jenny's cabinet and grabbed some medicine for my pounding head.

Eight o'ten. Fifty minutes to get some breakfast and get changed. And wake Nick up.

I wasn't left to ponder my foul mood for long. As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, Nick was there waiting for me.

"Yo, Fluff."

"I thought you were asleep, Nick."

"Nope. No sleep all night."

Nick looked as if someone had taken a baseball bat to him and dragged him through the dirt. His fur was disheveled, with mats everywhere and split ends up and down his chest. He had an empty mug of coffee in his paw, and I had reason to suspect that it wasn't his first cup.

I didn't even realize that he was standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing nothing on but his boxers until I looked down.

A blush burned down my ears and onto my face as I looked away instantly.

"Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick! Put some pants on!"

"What?" He asked in an almost drunk sounding voice. "Nothing you haven't seen before, Carrots. I know for a fact they teach you about anatomy and how to properly pat down mammals at the academy."

"That's not the point, Nick! What if my family comes through here?"

"Oh, don't worry. Someone already saw me."

The imaginary scene of Nick flashing one of my little brothers or sisters in his underwear caused me to see blood red for a moment. Nick must have realized what he had said and raised his paw to reiterate better.

"I didn't come out until everyone had left for the day around seven," he began. "But while I was making coffee, Jenny stopped by."

"Jen? She stopped by?"

"Sure did."

"What did she say?"

"That I needed to put pants on and take a cold shower to wake up. Not necessarily in that order."

"That's not what I meant! Did she...Mention anything about mom? Or me?"

I was fast losing my patience with Nick. His smarm was not helping my headache. But he genuinely looked like he was having trouble remembering what my sister had told him.

I sighed and buried my face into my palm.

"Nick, you really didn't get any sleep last night, did you?"

His smile was there, but his eyes suggested he was somewhere else. Like he was still lucid dreaming.

"I'll be fine, Carrots. Just need a fourth cup of coffee."

I glanced to the clock above the fridge.

Jeanette would be at the burrow in forty-five minutes, expecting to have a wonderful time with Nick. She'd be completely unaware that Nick was in absolutely no condition to be walking around town.

What should I do? Call off the date? No. That would probably break Jean's heart and we were only in the burrow for two more days. She wouldn't get another chance and neither would Nick.

How to wake up a sleep-deprived fox?

I'd normally suggest coffee, but I think Nick had built up an immunity to caffeine at this point. That left only one sure-fire way to get him up: Jenny's suggestion.

"Come on, Nick. We're going to take a nice, cold shower."

I had never seen Nick so out of it by the way he stumbled across the floor.

Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been able to push him along like I was. He allowed himself to be guided back to the J section and waited patiently as I set the water for him in the bathroom. I don't think he was fully aware of what was going on and he was staring into space.

When I was satisfied with the frigid temperature of the shower, I faced him and crossed my arms.

"Alright, Nick. You're going to step under that water and you're not allowed to change the temperature or leave until I say so."

I wasn't about to force him to take off his boxers, it made my job easier. Nick took two steps under the ice water and yelped.

"No," I stopped him before he could turn around to escape. "Deal with it."

All the fight had gone out of him and he stood shivering in the bath.

It was up there with one of the most heartbreaking sights I had ever seen. Nick hung his head and let the water soak him, all while holding his arms in a desperate shiver. I didn't care so much about him shampooing, the point wasn't to get him clean. But my gaze did drift to his tail, heavy and drenched with water.

And then to his firm butt outlined underneath his soaked boxers…

I shook my head. Get a grip, Judy.

After averting my eyes for a few minutes, Nick became livelier. Good enough.

"Alright," I said. "You can come out now."

The tiredness had gone from his eyes, though he still looked haggard and waterlogged. He had on the expression of someone who didn't fully know where he was. The blue pie mark still stained his chest and his boxers were clinging tightly to his fur. He realized his exposure as he turned around and did me the decency of covering himself with his paws so the sight wouldn't leave little to my imagination.

"...Sorry, Carrots," were the first words out of his mouth.

"Don't be sorry," I said, handing him one of the towels we kept on the racks. "But you have a sleeping problem, Nick. You need to take better care of yourself. Get help when we get back to the city."

"Nah. I don't need help. Thanks though, Fluff."

I frowned and tossed Nick another towel. He had used the first one to wrap around his waist.

I checked my cell phone for the time as Nick dried off.

Thirty minutes until Jean arrived. And I hadn't even had my breakfast or changed yet. But there was a more pressing matter on my mind.

"What did my sister tell you?" I asked as Nick wiped his fur.

"She said she was going to be hanging at Rocky's until lunch. She wanted to avoid your mother. And you. Wasn't too happy with either of you, actually."

He paused and yawned.

"Why did you do that?" I asked as I repeated the infectious yawn. "Now I'm not going to stop…"

"Heh, sorry. Looks like you're pretty tired too."

I chalked up my exhaustion to my headache, which had evolved from a dull throb to a buzzing pulse with every heartbeat. I seemed to recall sleeping well, if only because I couldn't remember anything after getting to bed.

"Right," I said, pinching myself to stay awake. "I'll talk to Jen later. For now, get dry and get dressed. You have thirty minutes before your half-date."

The sly grin on Nick's face disappeared.

"You don't want to go?" I asked.

"I said I would. She's a nice fox and it wouldn't be fair if I didn't give her a chance, right? Unless you don't want me to..."

"Why wouldn't I want you to go?"

He shrugged and dodged the question by turning around and removing his soaked boxers.

That was my cue to leave. Between the date and Jenny, I had enough on my mind without being scarred by a completely naked fox.

I returned to the kitchen and distracted myself by making some toast with blueberry jam.

By the time I was finished eating, there were only fifteen minutes left. And I still hadn't changed out of my pyjamas.

Nick was finishing up drying and dressing, judging by the locked door to his bedroom.

I settled on wearing something plain and non-distracting to give Jeanette a little bit of an edge, in case she wanted to stand out. Blue jeans and a green turtleneck sweater.

When it was time to go, I saw that Nick had put on his maroon high neck sweater from Friday with the sleeves rolled up. His exposed head and arms were neatly combed, though I detected the snarls of unkempt fur beneath his shirt.

I rolled my eyes. Good enough.

Jeanette arrived five minutes early, dressed in a beautiful orange sundress. I was suddenly glad I had picked muted colors in comparison.

"H-Hi," she managed to sputter after looking Nick up and down.

"Morning," he put on a smile. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Mom gave us the morning off," I answered. "And Nick hasn't really seen much of the burrows yet outside the faire grounds and the tavern. So…"

I was trying to help Jeanette along. Thankfully, she got the hint.

"Oh! We can give him a tour of the town square then."

I smiled at my success. Nick just shrugged.

"Sure, I'm game."

"Great...Uh...I guess...I guess I'll drive."

Jeanette was a bundle of nerves as she shuffled out the door and into her van.

She had driven in Gideon's pink delivery truck, which was roomier than my parent's pick-up and smelled of fresh baked goods.

I crammed myself into the back with the shelves of pies, giving Nick the front next to Jean. I peeked out in the middle of the seats between the two foxes.

The drive started in silence, with Jeanette too frightened to even look at Nick outside of a few awkward glances. He was perfectly content sitting in his seat, sleepily smiling and staring out the window.

Jean gave me a lost look.

"Try asking him what he thinks of the burrows," I whispered in her ear, so Nick wouldn't hear.

"So...Mr. Wilde...What do you think of the burrows so far?"

"They're alright," Nick replied, giving me a glance that knew I had prompted the conversation. "Very quiet. Very lonely, it seems. Completely unlike the city, though sometimes you can feel like an island in an ocean of bigger mammals there too."

"Ah...I see…"

Just as quickly as it began, the conversation died.

I palmed my face.

This was probably why Jeanette wanted me to come along. She was terrible at small talk. And Nick's tired, aloof nature wasn't helping matters.

My mind scrambled for some topic Jeanette could focus on. What were her skills? Baking?

"Mention something about blueberry pies."

"I...I was thinking of trying a new recipe with blueberry pies."

That got Nick's attention. I suddenly recalled he hadn't eaten any breakfast.

"Is that right? Hard to go wrong with a blueberry pie as it is."

"I...Like to experiment. It's fun to make something new from the mundane."

"Mundane? You wound me, Red. Blueberry pies are my favorite dessert."

It was a good sign if Nick had given Jeanette a nickname. It meant he was getting more comfortable around her. He had only started to call me Carrots after we had interacted with each other a few times.

It was actually a little surprising that he had come up with one so quickly for Jean…

"That's right," he said tugging at the collar of his shirt. "I still have the stain from the pie you slammed into me."

My ears dropped slightly. I hadn't heard about that. I thought the blue stain had happened with Gideon.

"I'm sorry about that…"

"Hey, I said don't worry about it. It was an accident and I wasn't looking where I was going. It's kinda cool, actually. I thought it made me look like Iron Mammal. Do you watch the Maulvel movies?"

"N-No, actually...Gideon thinks they're stupid and doesn't take us to see them."

"Really? Well, that's a missed opportunity then. But, regardless, don't worry about the stain. It got us talking, didn't it? They say the best stories of how folks meet is through funny coincidence."

Nick thought for a moment and chuckled.

"That's right. You said you wanted to open a bake shop in the city."

"A-At some point, yeah..."

I sat back in the van. My work was done and the two were actually talking to each other.

I chalked up the worms in my stomach to the bumpy dirt road. It would pass once we were on the smooth streets of the town square.

Jeanette had mentioned she met Nick before, but I thought it had been a brief encounter when they passed each other at the faire. From how their conversation sounded, they had a rather personal moment. Surprising, given how shy a vixen she was.

"I think you should go for it," said Nick. "The city could always use some more good, honest foxes. And in Zootopia, anyone can be anything. Isn't that right, Carrots?"

I jolted up, getting pulled back into the discussion. "Right…"

We eased into the town square as we chatted.

In the morning light, the main street was a much different sight with crowds of mammals about. The road was filled with old fashioned vehicles, piloted by rabbits older than the three of us put together. Most of the elders came out in the early morning to shop, with nothing better to do all day and no farms to manage. Any younger rabbits had either taken to the fields or were managing the stalls and stores.

Jeanette parked outside her brother's bakery. The smell of toasty crust and fresh baked cookies suggested that the building had seen activity in the wee hours of the morning to prep for the faire. I hopped past the rows of baked pies in the back of the truck and out onto the street.

Nick squinted in the sun to get some bearing of where he was. "We're near the tavern."

"It's a small town, Nick. We're near everything."

The town square was just that. A square.

The center was devoted to a small park, which housed a statue of the burrow's founders. They were rabbits, of course. Tales of old Major Pepe and his troop were stories told to me and my siblings for years. Especially by Pop-Pop, who was a boy when the Major was in the army. Old stories for old rabbits, or so Jenny used to say.

These days, the burrow's center saw a more diverse selection of deer, sheep, pigs, horses, and even foxes. Most of them were visitors from the city coming to the burrow for the Harvest. With a city fox in tow, I realized that I probably looked no different in their eyes.

I couldn't help but wonder if our founding fathers would be disgusted with the sight of so many non-rabbits. The diverse crowds didn't stop a few shops run by older rabbits to have signs out front that read "Bunnies Only." Nick winced at the sight of one of them.

The Grey Bakery was on the smaller side in comparison to the other brick buildings surrounding it. It was completely overshadowed by the old mill, though the pub underneath was closed until the evening. The museum inside the mill would be taking tours and might have been a good place to start a date.

"How about a walk through the museum, guys?"

Jean gave the idea some thought while Nick shrugged. "What's it a museum of, Carrots?"

"The history of Bunnyburrow, mostly. The town was founded by an old rabbit platoon major back in the war."

"Weren't they against foxes back then?"

I cringed. "Yeah…?"

Nick furrowed his brow and I watched his ears lower slightly. "Can't say I have much of an interest then."

"M-Me either…"

"Well," I sighed, kicking myself for not thinking of my town's colorful history before speaking. "What do you want to do then?"

"I could go for some breakfast, actually. Did you eat, Red?"

"I could eat..."

I held back groan. So much for waking up on time to get food. My head was starting to throb again. Nick noticed my discomfort.

"You alright, Carrots?"

"I'm fine," I lied. "Well, take your pick then. There's a diner that'll be open on the other side of the square. Or there's the waffle cart that goes around the street, if we can find it."

"Why don't we go for the diner and stop by the waffle cart if we stumble into it on the way? I could go for some blueberry hotcakes."

I held my head as we walked along.

The stabbing pain in my forehead was making it hard to keep my eyes open. And staring at bright colors, like Nick's fur or Jeanette's dress, seemed to be making it worse. I led the way so I wouldn't have to look at either of them.

We didn't find the waffle cart, as we traipsed through the crunching leaves fallen from the trees.

But we did encounter someone unexpected.

"You there," squeaked a voice ahead of us, calling to an out-of-towner bear. "Yes, you, Baloo. You look like you're here for the harvest festival. Am I wrong? Want some cheap fruit?"

I tried not to look at the sight. The squeaky voice clearly belonged to a merchant with a rundown stall set up on the parkside of the square. Just by his tone, I could tell he was a hustler who made his living off vendoring rejected or tossed away foods for undercut prices. Such activity wasn't illegal in the burrows, but it was obnoxious to the local farmers.

Thankfully, the bear showed no interest in what the hustler was selling. The merchant turned to us next.

"Ain't seen your face before," the vendor said to Nick. "You a relative of the Greys?"

"She is," Nick stopped in place and gestured to Jean. "I'm not."

I really, really didn't want to engage with a two-bit hustler who got by pawning overripe vegetables for a living. With one paw on my head, I turned to try and convince Nick to not engage with the lowlife.

That's when I realized who we were talking to.

"You," I growled.

Rocco Larrs sneered back up at me.

In the last ten years since I had seen him, the raccoon hadn't changed much. He stood shorter than I did with white in his fur, despite being my same age. The black around his eyes made him look like a true bandit, giving him a permanent scowl or a sneer. I did notice that his right ear had a bite mark on it. I could only guess how he earned that scar. The other ear had a golden stud in the same area.

Rocky recognized me as well. "Now there's a sight I didn't expect to still see in this dunghill. Judy Hopps. Jen said you were back."

"Were I to never see you again, Rocco Larrs, it would still be too soon."

That disgusting laugh. I knew it all too well from the days when Gideon and his ilk would go around the school bullying kits. Rocky sounded like he had taken up smoking by the way he let out a hacking cough.

"What? So, the bunny cop is friends with the Greys now?" he asked as he glanced at Jeanette, causing the vixen to squirm. "Old Gid has gone soft."

Instinct took over and I was back in grade school again, protecting a helpless kit from the typical school yard bullies. I came between Rocky and Jeanette, glaring at the raccoon with my arms crossed.

"Where's my sister, raccoon?" I asked him, doing nothing to disguise the disdain in my voice.

"Hey now, is that anyway to speak to your future brother-in-law? Jen's fine. She's just crashing at my place."

I let out an annoyed huff and glanced down at the stall.

"She said you were a truck driver now. Not a lowly scraps peddler."

"That's the night job. I vendor scraps in the morning. Need to pay the bills somehow. We can't all be bigshot cops or own acres of farmland."

Every farm had it's own label to mark goods in trade, usually denoted by a plastic sticker. In my family's case, it was a bouncing grey rabbit under the Hopps family name. I saw the same label on each and every one of Rocky's goods.

"You little weasel," I growled, picking up one of the moldy carrot stems. "You've been stealing from my family's crops!"

"Hey," Rocky snarled. "My best friend's a weasel. Watch your mouth, cottontail."

"Carrots," Nick whispered behind me. "Ease up a bit."

I was forgetting myself. This wasn't Zootopia and I wasn't on duty. Plus, calling someone a weasel was akin to calling a rabbit cute. But the instinct of being a police officer kicked in and I leaned over to stare the raccoon down. In my mind, this scumbag had been abusing my sister and resulted to thievery to earn a living.

"Where did you get these, you little bandit?" I showed my teeth as I snarled. I was no predator, but I knew from my mom what intimidation an angry bunny could conjure up.

"E-Easy," Rocky put up his paws. "Jen gave them to me. They were old or ruined, so she couldn't sell them at the stand. I offered to take them off her paws."

"Why don't we call Jen and ask her then?"

"Go ahead...Though she's probably sleeping right now. It's your funeral."

"Is that a threat? Are you threatening a police officer? Even if I'm off-duty, buddy, I'll write you up so many fines that you won't be able to dig through the trash again."

"Carrots," Nick spoke again behind me with an increasing urgency in his voice. "You're scaring him. Stop."

"Nick, he's a thief. He's nothing more than a—"

"A what? A raccoon? Or, maybe, a predator?"

Looking behind me, I could see Nick staring down at me with an angry glare. Next to him, Jeanette was wearing a similar expression of uncomfortable distrust directed towards me. Around us, mammals were stopping to watch the argument. The realization set in that I was making a scene and my ear tips reddened.

Nick's expression softened to sadness as he sighed.

"Look, I get it. You're worried about your sister. But you're letting past relationships cause you to jump to conclusions. Jenny trusts him, so why don't you give him a chance, huh?"

Because I know him, I wanted to say. But one look at Nick caused the words to die in my mouth.

"I feel for him, you know?" Nick explained. "I was on the end of your mom's ire when I got here. I know that's no fun. And I know this looks sketchy. But let's give him the benefit of the doubt here, okay? You can ask Jenny what's what later."

I found the courage to speak again.

"Nick, you don't know him. He's stolen from the kits in school all the time. He's always been a dirty thief and nothing else. He shouldn't even be allowed to sell his garbage here."

"Carrots, do you hear the words coming out of your mouth? You're starting to sound like your grandpa."

"I'm just stating the facts."

"Well, your 'facts' are starting to sound a little biased against predators. Or maybe you'd like to put out another 'Bunnies Only' sign around the park. Very welcoming, indeed."

"Rocky being a predator has absolutely nothing to do with this, Nick," I growled, prepared to start up my argument against the raccoon's character again.

Nick just sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

"Look. Carrots, enough already. I'm way too tired for this. Just drop it. Okay?"

"Not until he—"

"Judy," Nick snapped with red blood vessels in the corners of his eyes. "Drop. It."

I froze.

That was the first time I had ever heard Nick use my first name.

I think he may have used it once during the Nighthowler case, but I was under water at the time. His green eyes stared down at me, disappointed in me.

Hearing my name in his voice had a weird power over me.

The sudden shock made me realize just how much of a jerk I was being and I instantly had no desire to continue my fight with Nick. Even though my common sense was screaming at me to never trust Rocky, I couldn't be asked to renew my argument.

My head was pounding.

"Fine," I said before slouching over. "Fine. It's dropped."

Though no one looked pleased.

I could feel a bunch of eyes on me, even outside our group. I replayed the conversation in my head and realized how much of a bigot I must have sounded without context. I sighed and rubbed the temples of my head.

"I'm going to call mom," I announced. "And get a ride home. I need a nap. You two...Have fun."

No one stopped me from leaving. Even Jeanette only gave me a passing look of concern as I walked down the sidewalk, getting as far away from the scene as I could. Nick wouldn't even give me a glance.

I pulled out my cell phone when I was a fair distance away and dialed mom.


	10. Chapter 10: Once a Hustler

Chapter Ten "Once a Hustler…"

I really didn't know what Judy wanted from me at this point.

As I had said to her, sleep had been nonexistent last night. I had kept myself up thinking about how stupid I was acting at the tavern. Of course Judy wasn't going to be interested in me. I'm a fox and she's a rabbit. There were boundaries she was never going to overcome. She had already proven that enough with our encounter with Rocky on the street.

Jeez, Judy. Could you sound more like a bigot outloud? Even if Rocky was selling illegal goods, the look some mammals were giving us...It was like the Nighthowler conference all over again. I told myself I should just get over her.

But, of course, that was easier said than done.

We watched Judy limp away from the stall with her head in her paws. It was hard to look pleased with the outcome, yet somehow Rocky could keep a smile going.

I could tell that the raccoon was a natural born hustler by how he presented himself. The bite mark on his right ear suggested that a deal had gone bad somewhere down the line for him. But the golden stud was a symbol of success he had. It wasn't some cheap trinket he was wearing for a fashion sense. It was little things like that I knew Judy wouldn't pick up on.

"Thanks for that," Rocky broke the ice. "Mister…?"

"Wilde," I said, not forgetting my manners by forcing a smile and offering a paw. "Nick Wilde."

"Rocco Larrs. Always nice to see a fellow predator in Bunnyburrow. The rabbits like to imagine that they're the only ones who live here. Sometimes you need to knock them out of their ivory towers and bring them down to our level. Isn't that right, Jean?"

Jeanette shivered besides me. I got the impression that she was acquainted with the raccoon, but not in the good way.

"Nice to see you too, Rocky…"

"How is old Gid doing these days, anyway? I don't get to see the fox much since he opened up that pie shop."

"He's doing fine…"

I slowly moved between the two to give Rocky the hint to halt his line of questioning.

He was sizing Jeanette up like she was a piece of meat and he was a savage tiger. I recognized the eyes of a schemer. Rocky was the sort of mammal who analyzed everyone around him for the sole purpose of deciding just how they could be useful to him. Judy was probably one hundred percent right about this guy and his relationship with her sister. But I was in no mood to give Judy's hate-filled comments the benefit of the doubt. I was tired and annoyed enough as it was.

Rocky turned his attention to me upon discovering Jeanette would be off limits. He was about to measure me up next. I could feel it.

"So, Nick. You're from out of town?"

"Yeah...Visiting with Judy to see the faire."

"Where from? The city too?"

"Yep."

"So, you're a fox of the streets then. I can respect that. I bet that rabbit cop has given you all sorts of trouble, eh?"

"You have no idea."

Hustlers, like Rocky, you had to be polite but firm with. If you gave them nothing to work with, they would quickly lose face and either back off or know to keep silent. I made sure my eyes showed my distaste with the conversation. Though I smiled, I was glaring at the raccoon.

Rocky was either the bravest rodent I had ever seen or the dumbest.

"Well, I get the feeling I caused you a little grief. You two were on your way to breakfast, weren't you?"

"Sure."

"Why don't I treat you? For your trouble?"

I squinted my eyes at the raccoon, trying to guess his angle. He was definitely after something, but I couldn't even begin to imagine what. It felt like we were trading bad company, with Judy, for worse. But my mouth moved on its own.

"Eh, why not, I guess? Free food, right?"

I glanced to Jeanette, hoping she would speak up and talk me out of this. But she wasn't about to call out any idea I had. Especially if I knew she was trying to make a good impression with me. It would take an awful mammal to curse her cravenness but I really wasn't in my right mind between the lack of sleep and my fight with Judy.

In fact, I was surprised I was even lucid as I was.

"To the diner then?" I asked.

"One moment," said Rocky as he leaned over his table of fruit and vegetables.

He grabbed his two boxes on both sides and flipped them together, cramming all the food into one tight space. That's when I realized that his display was no more than an open, upside down suitcase. Talk about a cheap mammal.

"Onward, Mr. Wilde."

Jeanette knew where to go and she led on, trying not to make eye contact with our raccoon guest.

I was finding it hard to not stare at Rocky. Jenny had made it sound like he was a misunderstood mammal who deserved a second chance. But all I saw was a greasy furball who had already taken ten second chances and burned them all while laughing his way to the bank. Maybe he was a good fixer upper?

As we walked, we kicked the fallen leaves.

My thoughts turned to Judy again with my head having cooled.

I was overblowing it. It was nowhere near as bad as the Nighthowler conference.

Plus, she was right. Rocky was doing some illegal infringing on trademark. But that was for a lawyer to handle, not a pair of off-duty cops.

And the clear predator distrust from her still hurt just the same. Not to mention, I was growing tired of the lack of accommodations for foxes in the burrow. Everything, from the carrot colored buildings to the older generation of rabbits glaring at me, made me feel unwelcomed. Then there were the signs I had pointed out. "Bunnies Only." Things were worse than it was in the city. At least there they would pretend they'd accept your patronage.

In front of me, Jeanette was hunched low like she was trying to get by unnoticed by Rocky.

When Judy offered Jeanette as a date the previous night, I felt my world coming to a screeching halt.

You often heard about young bucks these days talking about the friend zone when attempting to pursue a beautiful doe that caught their eyes. I guess this is what they meant.

It wasn't like I had never had my heart broken before. My first girlfriend, Samantha I think her name was, stung a bit when she left me. But now I was old enough to forget her name, through some deep burying.

With Judy, it was different.

In the back of my mind, I knew I was going to see her every single day at work. A grim reminder of what could have been and never would be. I envied Stu and his commitment to Bonnie, as he had claimed in his 'noots' story. His advice, to just keep at it, was hard to do when you felt like you just wanted space.

I went over my life and realized something horrifying.

Judy and I did everything together.

Typical days at work involved getting up at six to Judy knocking at my door. Then we'd drive together to the station, chatting along the way. Being partners, naturally, we worked together constantly. That involved eight to ten hour shifts of police work, complete with a lot of communicating and talking to each other. Lunch breaks were an hour, but we had always got our meals together. Be it from the cafeteria or a food stand out on the streets. At closing, around five, we'd always hang out for a bit. Sometimes to get dinner or to just follow up on any particularly difficult cases. I was in bed by nine.

If you didn't count bathing, travel, laundry, and other necessities of living, I had an hour to myself.

One hour. All day.

How was I supposed to act normal around Judy all that time if she had no interest in me? How was I supposed to control myself? I took pride in my mask as a former con artist, but there were limits. What? Was I just not supposed to take off the pleasant Nick mask? Was I destined to never get a decent night of sleep ever again? Or was this just supposed to get easier with time?

Maybe I should just quit being a cop to make things easier for me…

On that dark thought, we entered the diner at the other end of the town.

It was exactly how I expected it to be on the inside, being familiar with a fair few diners all around Zootopia. Standard diner layout, red booths and stainless steel counters. The sign greeted us into what they called the restaurant.

"The Bunny Drop?" I asked, rolling my eyes slightly.

"Get used to it, Nick," spat Rocky. "You're in Bunnyburrow."

I quickly saw that there were few accommodations for mammals larger than the average rabbit. The red booths lining the walls looked like a tight fit for us foxes and much too big for Rocky. Still, we managed to squeeze in with Jean and I on one side and Rocky on the other.

Before we could sit down, Jeanette pulled out her cell phone which had buzzed. She looked down at the screen and frowned.

"Everything alright?" I asked, doing my best to sound concerned.

"Yes...Don't worry. Just a text message."

I nodded and took the menu, glancing to Rocky across from me. I really wished it was Judy sitting there and not the raccoon's ugly mug. He hadn't even bothered to glance at the menu by the time the waitress came around.

"Deviled eggs," he barked to the young bunny server. "And a side of grapefruit."

Grapefruit sounded too sour for me. "I'll just have some blueberry waffles, darling."

"P-Plain oatmeal, please."

Rocky continued to stare at the waitress as she hopped away with our orders. It didn't take someone observant to realize he was leering.

"So," I said, trying to interrupt his perverted gaze. "You and Jenny, huh?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Wilde."

"How did that happen, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I always have my eyes on bunnies that catch my interest. There's not much in the way of raccoons here in the burrows. So, pickings are slim. Especially with preds or prey willing to experiment outside their natural comfort zone and ignore impulses. I'm very progressive, like that. Really open minded to the possibilities."

Rocky didn't seem open minded at all to me. He reminded me of those specist 'biology experts' who would speak out against inter-species relationships. Talking about how the chemistry was all wrong and usually it was just the mammals confusing their fight or flight instincts with love. If we listened to mammals like that, we'd all be living in separate counties like we did centuries ago. But I knew better than to get into that debate.

"How did you meet then?"

"Stopped by the stall at the right time, I guess. Hard not to run into a Hopp around here. They own some of the largest amount of land in the burrows."

"Really? I thought there were eighty million rabbits here, according to the sign. Or is that just a joke?"

Rocky laughed. Again, that didn't answer my question.

"But yeah," he continued. "The Hopps have a bit of a stranglehold on the farming for the town. Not that the other farmers seem to mind. They're fair with the waterfall effect, trickling down the wealth to other eager rabbit farmers. Hopps handle the stuff like carrots, and now baked goods, while the other farmers cover all the missing bases. But carrots will always be the biggest seller in a burrow full of bunnies."

"Makes sense," I nodded along. "How do you know so much about this though?"

"Well, I'm the mammal who transports their goods out to other cities. Farming is where the real money is. When mammals hear a name like Bunnyburrow, they expect to get some high quality vegetables, namely the carrots. The Hopps can charge whatever they want and rake in a killing so long as it's above the cost of manufacturing the stuff."

I nodded again, but could tell all this talk about farming was beginning to bore Jeanette.

She kept staring at her phone, chatting to who I assumed was Gideon. I wasn't the type to invade her privacy. I'd have to apologize to her later for not being much of a fun date.

"The Hopps Harvest is a display of the worst of it," Rocky continued. "Or best of it, if you're a friend of the family. They all gather around that silly golden carrot and vendor items off that they wouldn't normally be able to sell in mass quantities. Everything is jacked up in prices. So, even if you have a small table, you can still make a killing. The rides are cheaply made and overpriced too."

A lot of what he was saying matched Judy's descriptions from yesterday, though from a much different perspective.

It hadn't occurred to me that in such a small town there would be plenty of other mammals jealous of the Hopps' success.

It made sense. There were always haves and have-nots in every society. Despite Stu starting from humble beginnings, I could easily see why having a golden carrot propped right in the middle of your family faire could be seen as obnoxious. It was bragging of how much money you made and how little the object was worth to you, even though a golden statue could set a poorer mammal up for life.

"Your brother was smart," Rocky turned to Jeanette. "He got in good with the Hopps too. Very smart. Now he owns that little shop in the square. Make nice, make money."

Jeanette glanced down at her phone, which had buzzed again, and then to me. There was a pleading look in her eyes, suggesting she didn't want to be there.

"Why don't you go take care of that?" I gestured to her phone and giving her an excuse to abandon the table.

Our food was brought to us the moment Jeanette left.

"So, Nick," said Rocky as he slurped on his eggs. "You're a fox of the streets, that much I can tell. What do you do for a living?"

If I told him I was a cop, I got the feeling that would shut him up real quick. But something in me silenced the thought.

"Well, I can tell you what my last job was. I hustled popsicles made from borrowed ingredients to lemmings. Cheap labor and an easy two hundred dollars a day."

"Nice," Rocky sounded genuinely impressed. "That amount typical in the city?"

"More or less. It depends on what you're willing to do in Zootopia. How much you want to dirty your tail."

"Of course. If you don't mind me prodding more, what's your relationship with the Hopps cop if you're a hustler?"

"Judy?" I paused mid-thought. "Friends, I suppose. She tried to break up my business, and I somehow ended up befriending and helping her in the big Nighthowler incident. Life is strange."

"Strange indeed. And, out of curiousity, what are your thoughts about stealing?"

I narrowed my eyes. I got the feeling this is what the raccoon really wanted to discuss with me the moment I had stuck up for him out on the streets.

"Depends on what the item in question was and who was going to miss it."

"Smart fox. Very smart. Ask your questions before you blindly agree to anything. Tell me, what's the most expensive thing you've ever stolen, Nick?"

"A few rugs that I thought no one was going to miss," I spoke honestly. "Blueberries, on the occasion, from food stalls. And some candy when I was a kit."

"How about something worth half a million dollars?"

What a weasel.

I knew it would be too good to be true to leave something as valuable as the golden carrot out in the open. I should have seen this coming. The subtle disdain for the Hopps meant Rocky was probably planning this for awhile. He might have even proposed to Jenny just so he could have an excuse to come to the faire and steal the golden carrot.

This wasn't some cheap trinket that nobody would miss or like pawning trademarked goods on the street. This was a blatant felony that could get you put away for a long, long time. As a police officer, even if this was outside my jurisdiction and I was on vacation, I had a duty to report Rocky and get him arrested. Or at the very least put him under watch with the local authorities.

But a thought from earlier burned across my brain before I could act.

Maybe I should just quit being a cop to make things easier for me…

It was impossible to think right there in the booth with Rocky expecting an answer. Besides, the more I thought about it the more I realized that I didn't have nearly enough evidence to turn the raccoon in. He was being too vague.

There was no harm in learning more about the scheme for a little while and seeing what Rocky had planned. Right? I'm not sure this counted as probable cause yet. Not until I knew exactly what he was after. A good officer never accused anyone of anything without proof. Or a recording carrot pen.

"Mm," I leaned in close to whisper to the raccoon. "I'd have to consider it. Need more details and all."

"Not here," Rocky glanced around and gestured above his head to give himself rabbit ears. "Too public. Too many ears. I'm bringing my truck to the faire later this afternoon. We can chat there if you help me 'unload.'"

"I gotcha."

The raccoon dug into his black sweatpants and pulled out a dirty wallet and some cash.

"Here. Fifty for the breakfast. Should be more than enough plus the tip. I get the impression your lady friend is uncomfortable around me, so I'll see myself off."

"Fair enough," I shrugged. "I'll keep my eyes out for you then."

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wilde. I hope we can do business together."

He offered me his paw and I did my best to ignore the grimy feeling as I shook it. He then pulled up his hoodie and took off out of the diner with his suitcase in paw before anyone had even noticed he was missing.

I was left alone with my thoughts for a few minutes.

This was a pretty heinous crime I had stumbled into, even if I couldn't confirm it yet.

Rocky gave me the creeps. He certainly had the motivation to commit such a theft, judging by his colored speech about the Hopps. I tried to calm myself down by remembering my training at the academy.

This should have been a no brainer.

Meet with Rocky later that day and get your proof. Then arrest him. I didn't have any of my equipment with me, not even my handcuffs. Just my badge, buried at the bottom of my travel bag. But that was no excuse. I could just alert the local sheriff when I confirmed it was the carrot he was after. Why was this hard?

Don't tell me…

Was I actually considering going along with this brain-dead scheme of his? Was I that sleep-deprived?

That was a horrible, horrible idea. I mean, sure. Judy had pretty much stomped on my heart this weekend. But to sink so low out of spite? And I hadn't stolen anything this major since my mom had caught me with those rugs…

What would I even do with the money anyway?

Jeanette finally came back to the booth. She must have squirreled away into the bathroom.

"Where's Rocky?" she asked.

"Oh," I said, making something up on the spot. "I...Told him to take off. I saw he was bothering you, so I asked him to take a hike."

"Y-You did?"

"Yeah," I said with a smile.

Something about our exchange calmed me down a little.

It suddenly came to my attention that Jean was actually a pretty good-looking vixen, the kind I would have easily fallen for back when I was a kit. And she made a very lovely distraction from my palpitating heartbeat and thoughts of impending criminal activity.

"Have a seat. Don't want your food to get cold."

"Thanks…"

She took her place across from me and we shared our breakfast together.

Seeing a friendly face sitting across from me helped me relax a bit. That's when I realized something obvious staring right at me.

I could make Jean and I work.

It was safe and familiar to me. I don't know why I didn't see it before. It was comfortable. Like wearing an old tie that you had thought you lost. It made me not think about the dangerous thoughts I was having with Rocky.

"Say, Red. Why don't we hang out around the faire a little bit today? We kind of got this morning ruined for us. Do you need some help at the pie stand?"

She nearly choked on her oatmeal. "I-I'd love to. But you don't have to if you don't want to. I mean…"

"I do. In fact, there's no place I'd rather be."


	11. Chapter 11: Heat

**AUTHORS NOTES**

 **Hey everyone,**

 **First off, sorry for the radio silence this past week. I have not been ignoring the comments. I've read each and every one very carefully and have taken them to heart.**

 **There were a lot of folks unhappy with chapter 10 and lapses in Nick's character. And after consulting a few readers privately, I tend to agree that I find the chapter (and parts of 9) lacking. Therefore, I'd like to announce that following the postings of chapters 11 and 12 (which are Judy chapters) I'll be taking a short couple weeks hiatus to rework some of the later story and parts of 10 to better fit Nick's motives as a character.**

 **I will not be changing the core beats of the plot. This is ultimately a tale of Nick's choice between a life with Judy or a life without her. I will be alternating his motivations, however, so he's not leaning towards an unstable lifestyle of being a criminal again. And to do that, I need a little time. If this kind of story makes you want to stop want to continue reading, these I apologize I've upset you that much and betrayed your expectations. At the end of the day, this is my first attempt at a major fanfic piece and I've learned more than a few lessons so far. If you're gone, then it's been a pleasure showing you my writing so far and I hope I can write something better for you in the future.**

 **So, that's where we're at. And, without further ado, let's dive into chapter 11. Or, as I like to call it, "why Noots has a Teen rating."**

* * *

Chapter Eleven "Heat"

I slumped into the truck seat as mom prattled on.

"Honestly, Judy, what were you thinking causing a scene like that first thing in the morning? We heard about it all the way at the faire. I only asked you to keep an eye out for your sister."

"I lost control," I admitted, getting tired of feeling bad for myself.

I knew I had overreacted and having my mom, of all mammals, chew me out was doing nothing to help my headache.

"I don't know, mom. After what happened with Jen last night, seeing Rocky peddling family goods in the town square made me snap. He was acting like a creep."

"Someone said you tackled him to the street and handcuffed him."

"Okay, now that's just a flat out lie," I glared out the window. "I didn't even bring my handcuffs. But I think I ruined Jeanette's date though."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. But you certainly threw a wrench in our plans for this morning. I need to hightail it back to the faire after I drop you off at home so I can help your father load up the truck with toy prizes."

"Sorry...Sorry. I'll be there as soon as I take a nap. And maybe a shower."

I took comfort in my phone as I fiddled around with my contacts.

I wanted to message Nick an apology for how I had acted.

He was the one who been the angriest with me after I called out Rocky. And, in hindsight, I could see why. But what could I even say to him? Sorry for being a dumb bunny sounded too insincere. And he had been mad enough to use my first name, of all things.

There was a fire in his green eyes I had only seen once before. That was back when he was acting savage in the museum during the Nighthowler case. The crazed and wild look he had on when he cornered me in the pit. And when his fangs closed around my throat...

I shook my head to forget the memory. I needed a distraction from my thoughts.

"Mom, can you give me Jean's number?"

"What for?"

"Play by play," I said. "If I can't help Jeanette out being there, I can at least give her some advice over texts."

She let out a reluctant sigh as she kept her eyes glued to the road while simultaneously digging through her pocket book on the floor. She handed me her phone, one of those cheap old folks devices with giant buttons for reading and designed only for calls and texts. The thing could just barely handle MuzzleTime. It was shaped like a carrot too, causing me to roll my eyes. Half a year in Zootopia had taught me just how hokey the carrot look was for rabbits.

I dug up Jeanette's number and plugged it into my smart phone before setting to work typing.

 _[Hey Jean. This is Judy. Sorry about the thing with Rocky. Is everything going okay?]_

I hit enter and waited.

"So," I tried to pass the time while Jeanette responded to me. "Did you know Rocky was using spoiled goods from our farm?"

"It doesn't surprise me," mom answered. "Jenny is the oldest on the compound and runs the stalls for us all the time. She probably loaned him foods we wouldn't miss."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"Of course it does. But it's also basically garbage to us and he's not the only mammal to do it. It's one step above being a bum and stealing plastic bottles to resell, as far as we're concerned."

I guess that was one way to look at it. But one crucial argument still came to mind.

"It's illegal though," I said. "All his goods have our logo on them."

"Then I'll have to have a long talk with Jen about trademark. But it's simply not as a huge a crime as it is in Zootopia, Judy. If we sued every single mammal who did it, we wouldn't even have enough time or resources to farm. We have more important things to focus on with the faire. That doesn't win him any points with me though. That's for dang sure. Just another reason why your sister is making a mistake."

Just then, my phone buzzed with Jeanette's reply.

 _[Hi. It's fine. Rocky is treating us to breakfast.]_

I stuck out my tongue in disgust.

A big part of me said that the raccoon was trying to earn brownie points with them by making nice. But the other half of me, which remembered being snapped at by Nick, told me to stop assuming the worst.

"You going to be alright with Nick on his own?" asked my mother.

The question confused me. "Why wouldn't I be alright? Nick's a grown fox, he can take care of himself."

"Well, he's your...Partner. I figured you would want to be the one to show him around town."

I typed my response to Jean, trying to sound as diplomatic as I could.

 _[He's not giving you a hard time because of me, is he?]_

"Mom, you're starting to sound like Nick himself."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this morning he was all 'are you sure you want me to date Jeanette?' It's like, why would I care what he does with his personal life like that?"

A spark of realization flashed across my mom's eyes. "Ah."

"What?"

"Nothing, dear. I just realized how alike we both are. We're both hardheaded, in more ways than one. Stubborn too and a bit dense to the obvious. Especially when it comes to emotions."

Before I could ask what mom meant by that comment, my phone buzzed again.

 _[No. But he keeps leering at me.]_

Thoughts of Rocky being a disgusting pervert distracted me from responding to mom. I began to furiously type away.

 _[Want me to come back? I can give you an excuse to leave.]_

"Sorry," I said to mom. "Where were we?"

"We're here."

The pickup truck pulled into the familiar dirt road of our family driveway. I could see my little brothers and sisters playing in the leaves, while Pop-Pop was busy napping on the front porch. Mom didn't bother to park too close to the house.

"Come back as soon as you're feeling up for it, please," mom said as I left the vehicle. "We need all the help we can get to set up for tomorrow."

"Got it," I said, throwing my phone into my pocket and slamming the door shut.

Mom barely waited for me to close the door before reversing out of the driveway and into the street. In Zootopia something like that could cause a twenty car pileup. But in the country, we just called that 'driving in a hurry.' I could already see Nick's reaction to watching my mom drive. Especially with how he always poked fun at my driving at work.

I shook my head. I had been in the city too long.

My approach of the house did not go unnoticed by my siblings. Their shrill voices all shouted my name at once, but they were too involved in their play to hop over and say hello. I gave them a smile and a wave as I stepped up to the porch.

Pop-Pop was doing his dead mammal impression again while he slept. I gave him a nudge.

"Pop-Pop. Fox."

He shuddered awake and stammered a bit, like someone who didn't know where he was. He then looked over to me and blinked a few times.

"Why if it ain't Trudy? Where's your good-looking boyfriend?"

I groaned. "He's not my boyfriend, Pop-Pop. And he's on a date with someone."

"Ah. Someone stole him away from you, did they?"

For some reason, the way Pop-Pop phrased that caused my heart to skip a beat.

"N-Nick can date whoever he wants."

"Should have married him, Trudy. Harder to lose a fella with a ring on him."

I ignored him and stomped off, pulling out my phone to check if Jean had returned my last message.

 _[No, it's fine...Just need some privacy. Somewhere to think.]_

I thumbed my keyboard trying to think of how to respond to Jean's message, unconsciously walking into the J section and then to my bedroom.

Like that morning, the entire area was quiet and empty. There were only faint signs of our bathroom shenanigans from earlier with the wet puddles trailing from the shower and into Nick's room.

I slumped onto my bed, shutting the door behind. In the distance, I could still hear the kits playing outside. They were muted by the sound of my phone buzzing with another message from Jean.

 _[How do I get on Nick's good side?]_

 _[What do you mean? You guys seemed to be doing fine in the car.]_

While lying face up on the bed, I passed the time chatting away with Jeanette, losing track of the minutes in the process.

 _[I don't know. I'm being stupid. I get the feeling he doesn't really like me.]_

 _[But you said you smelled him earlier.]_

 _[I could have been wrong. I don't know. I couldn't detect anything today.]_

I chewed at my paw as I thought to give the obvious solution for her problem.

 _[You should just ask him then. Tell him how you feel.]_

 _[I don't know. What if he says no?]_

 _[You can't know until you try, right? You can do it.]_

Come on, Jeanette. You gotta be brave here.

No one ever got anywhere without being brave. That much I knew from my days in the academy. I looked at it from the only angle I could. Jeanette was about my age from I first made the jump into my career as an officer and joined the academy. It was hard, even impossible at a glance. But once I made it through, the reward was well worth it. I had never been in love before, but reaching to be a police officer was the closest thing I could think of.

 _[Alright,]_ she replied, at last. _[I'm going to go out and ask him straight up.]_

I smiled. "Thatta girl."

I put down the phone on my bedsheets and yawned.

Between managing Jean's romance and my pounding head, the bed was starting to feel very comfortable. I wanted to just rest my eyes for a moment. Just a quick nap before getting back to the work day.

A final buzz on my phone alerted me to another message from Jeanette before I passed out.

 _[I was just being stupid! He wants to hang out at the faire. He even asked Rocky to go away for me.]_

I should have been happy for Jeanette, but there was a niggling dread in the pit of my stomach. It was the same feeling I had in the truck that morning.

Maybe I was coming down with something…

* * *

I awoke with a start and glanced to the clock on the side of my bed.

"Crackers!" I said aloud, tossing my blanket and my phone to the side.

It was three o'clock already, meaning the day was more than half over. I could only think of the earful I would get from mom when I got to the faire.

"I gotta go," I told myself. "I gotta shower."

The logical side of me said that taking a shower when I was in a rush to get somewhere made absolutely no sense. But I chalked it up to post-nap thinking. For some reason, I really wanted to be in the bath even though I didn't feel particularly dirty.

The house was empty as I made my way to the shower, stripping along the way.

There was an eerie fog throughout the bathroom, like someone had used it recently. Again, I didn't give it much thought with only getting clean on my mind.

I hopped completely naked underneath the farthest showerhead and blasted the water to maximum heat. This, of course, filled the room with more steam and until I was basically standing in a sauna. Like I was back in the tropic district.

For a moment, I lost track of time.

It was like I had fallen asleep standing up. My body went through the normal routine of soaping up and shampooing my fur, but at a much slower pace. I felt sluggish, like my head was inside a jar. Everything around me echoed and seemed to move at a slower speed than was usual. Or was it me who was being slow? Now I knew how a sloth felt.

I began to wonder how Jean's date with Nick was going after I ruined things for them.

I thought about Nick for a while too and what happened in the shower that morning. He had been pretty out of it when I dragged him in for his cold bath. I wondered if my current befuddlement was what he felt like. Soggy and cranky. Not really sure where he was or what he was doing. I closed my eyes to let the warm water take me.

Then the door to the bathroom opened.

In the Hopps household, we had unspoken rules of privacy. At the top of the list was to never enter the bathroom when you heard someone in the shower unless you had permission after knocking. And how could they not know I was in there? I had the water going at full blast and steam was probably starting to seep out through the cracks in the door.

My ears twitched as I followed the heavy footsteps. They were starting to approach the shower.

I wanted to turn around and yell "occupied" but for some reason my body couldn't move. I heard whoever it was turn on the water for the shower across from mine.

They were _showering_ with me standing right behind them!

With a deep breath, I risked a glance over my shoulder.

A flash of red fur caught my eye. A fox? I realized it was a male body by the broader shoulders leading into a firm butt. A blush crept down my ears as I realized who had walked in on me showering, oblivious to my presence.

Nick!

I wanted to shout his name but couldn't. The sight of him naked had caused my mind to fry and I quickly turned away, afraid he might notice me leering at him.

What was he even doing here? I thought he was on his date with Jeanette! And he had showered today already too! Was he still so out of it that he wasn't even fully aware of what he was doing?

I was too busy juggling the questions in my head to notice a shadow approaching me from behind. I didn't even sense Nick over my shoulder until he leaned in close to my ears and whispered to me.

"I saw you looking."

I squeaked and slipped on the soap lathering the tiles.

Scrambling backwards on the floor, I put as much distance as I could away from the fully naked fox before me. Nick was looking down at me with a mischievous grin and green eyes filled with a certain hunger I had only seen in romance movies.

"I…" was the only word I could get out. "I...I…"

"Do you like what you see, Carrots?"

His mood darkened and he went down on all fours to creep towards me, like a savage predator.

Instinct took over me and I began to retreat across the shower floor. I kept staring into his eyes. I was nothing but prey to him. He continued to taunt me as he guided me deeper into the shower.

"Naughty bunny. You think I wouldn't notice the glances? Is my rump that fascinating to you?"

I thought back to my peeping at his butt that morning.

No.

I realized that hadn't been the first time I had caught myself staring at him. There had been countless incidents at work where I would curse my wandering eyes. When Nick bent over to pick something up. When he undid the top buttons of his shirt to get changed at the end of a long day...

"Y-You knew?"

"Of course. You think I can't tell when someone's leering at me? Let's see how you like it."

I was running out of floor and Nick's pace was quickening.

He snarled a bit, showing most of his very sharp teeth. The fog of the shower blocked a fair amount of the view below his waist. But I could tell just by his eyes that he was feeling aroused. I covered myself just as my back hit the wall.

"Run, rabbit," he growled. "Run. I wanna hunt."

I took some deep breaths.

He was being serious. This wasn't acting, like it had been in the museum. He wanted to eat me.

Natural reflexes took over as he pounced at me.

I rolled out of the way and hopped on all fours. He was close behind me, still giving chase. I made a beeline for the door.

"Locked!" I cried as I tried to pry open the slippery knob.

Nick must have planned this from the start and blocked the exit somehow. I ducked just as he slammed into the door.

We weaved around the lockers and the stalls, crawling over every surface in our game of cat and mouse.

My heart was racing and all I could hear was the sound of him breathing behind me, getting closer and closer. I had the speed, but I was quickly getting fatigued. And the shower was too slippery to get a proper grip on the tile. It was only a matter of time before Nick caught up to me...

When he did, we fell into each other like tumbleweeds, toppling into the middle of the shower floor where all the drains met.

I kicked at him with all my might, trying his stomach first and then aiming for his face. His jaw clenched and he snarled in pain. My attacks had only enraged him.

His green eyes had turned red and he was preparing to bite me.

As his jaw opened, I braced myself for the stabbing sensation at my neck, accepting I had been caught and was a dead rabbit.

But the howling pain across my throat never came.

I opened my eyes to the sensation of Nick gnawing on my neck in a tender kiss.

He was working his way up to my ears while his paws traveled down my side. He placed himself on top of me, pinning me down so he could have his way with me. I felt his tail brush against the soles of my feet.

"Nick…" I moaned, surprised at how good the massage felt on my tender, exhausted legs.

He purred when he reached my ears before changing his mouth's direction. His snout connected with mine.

We gave each other a passionate kiss that made me lose track of time.

I came to the realization that I had always wanted to kiss him by how I clawed at his back. My tongue slipped around his fangs. I could smell him. The musk. The heat between his legs...

I didn't want it to stop.

"Judy…" he whispered when we broke away. Hearing my name in such his husky voice sent chills down my legs. "I want you. Now."

The dull spray of the shower faded away, along with everything else. Suddenly, we were just in open space. Just the two of us. Alone.

This would be my first time. And with a fox no less.

But looking into the hopeful eyes of my best friend was enough to silence such unwanted and cowardly thoughts. And I did want this. I wanted Nick. More than anything. Even being a police officer.

It was liberating. Being caught and exposed. It was thrilling to be pinned and cornered like I was nothing but prey. To be chased and wanted so badly. A rising heat in my head fogged off anything other than lust and desire.

But I wouldn't submit to Nick before I could say the words I always knew I wanted to say.

"Nick…," I said with blush running down my face and my heartrate sounding more like a blaring alarm. "I love..."

* * *

"...love you," I murmured as my ears twitched. Slowly, I opened my eyes to the sight of my bedroom ceiling.

I jolted up in an instant, only to be reminded of my pounding headache.

I felt warm. Overheating, like I had just run a marathon. I was even starting to pant a little.

The clock on my bedside table told me everything I needed to know of the memory that was fast fading. Eleven thirty.

"A dream," I said, though my heart was still pounding. I had only been out for two hours.

I rubbed my eyes as my mind played catch up. I was still out of breath.

What the heck was with that dream?

That had felt so real. I could still feel Nick's fangs at my neck. And his smell...Never had I experienced anything like that before. What did it even mean?

I shook my head, trying to ignore the obvious answer to that question.

That's when I noticed a moistness between my legs.

I pulled up my blanket, knocking my phone to the side, and looked down to my thighs pressed together. Then to the stained sheets below.

"Oh, noots…" I whispered, my ears drooping down.

I was in heat.


	12. Chapter 12: Cookie Crumbs

Chapter Twelve "Cookie Crumbs"

Okay, Judy.

So, you just had a wet dream about your best friend in the shower. It's not like that meant anything, right? Right?

I held my pulsing head as I sat up from my bed, looking down at the mess.

Who was I kidding?

"No," I said in denial, shaking my head. "This is just an accident. Nothing more."

I decided to distract my feelings by listing what I needed to do to clean up after myself.

The room now reeked with the smell designed to trigger arousal in a rabbit buck. That scent extended to my jeans and underwear, which were well beyond salvageable in the fallout. The bed sheets were also tainted by me and my imaginary misadventure with Nick. Thankfully nothing had gotten on my phone or anything else in the room. But I needed to do laundry before someone found out. Then I needed to shower to get the odor off me. And to cool off.

"Okay," I said, talking to myself to calm down. "You'll throw this all in the wash and take a shower. And then forget this ever happened."

My legs tingled a little as I gathered up my sheets and changed my clothes. I had used a muscle I hadn't exactly been exercising lately, even if I was only dreaming. I had to fan myself just to cool down.

What had come over me?

Rabbits weren't exactly prudes when it came to sex, given our affinity for multiplication. But the subject had never interested me before. And I certainly never had any dreams about it. However, it wasn't the biology that had me confused more so than the mammal of my affection.

Why Nick?

I pondered the question as I cleaned myself off with tissue paper before throwing on my pajamas and grabbing my phone.

Nick was my best friend. He was charming. He could be sweet at times. But he was also a fox.

Not that I was against inter-species relationships. But out of all the things Judy Hopps was—a police officer, a hero of Zootopia, and a bunny from Bunnyburrow—having a thing for a fox was the furthest notion from what was possible in my mind.

I kept thinking back to my childhood with Gideon Grey and how much an impact foxes had left on me. If it wasn't for Gideon, I would have never been so determined to be a cop and probably would have probably switched dreams like I was prone to do at that age. Now there was another fox changing my life in the most unexpected way.

Nick managed to get me hot and bothered.

While the other girls my age were all getting boyfriends and discussing makeup, Judy Hopps was busy lifting weights and going jogging. Sex ed classes were the most boring lectures in the world for me. I just assumed that I would never have the interest in bucks, or doe for that matter. Even when puberty hit me, I just ignored any urges I may have had.

For awhile, I was led to believe I was just a freak. A rabbit without a libito. That's what made my sudden attraction to Nick all the more shocking. He had made me feel something I hadn't ever felt before. An odd desire that wouldn't go away no matter how many times I closed my eyes. And that was all in a dream. I shuddered to think what my reaction would be to him in real life.

"Oh, crackers," I muttered, wincing as my head throbbed to keep up with all this new information.

It hit me all at once at just how problematic a potential crush with Nick was.

We were partners, co-workers in the ZPD. Bogo would have an aneurysm upon hearing that his two best officers were suddenly interested in each other.

Assuming Nick even _was_ interested in me.

I kept forgetting that was a distinct difference between dream Nick and real Nick. Dream Nick had been wild. Uncontrolled. Savage. I had to stop myself from thinking about him more before I made my situation worse. Half the burrow could probably smell me at this point.

That brought up my next concern. My family.

With my heavy career focus, my parents thought I would just be the one in the family who never married or had a relationship. Well, surprise mom and dad! Turns out your outgoing daughter has managed to stump you again by having weird sex dreams with a fox. I could already see the look of disappointment on mom's face.

"No," I shook my head.

I was going to bury this thing. Deep. It'd just be a dirty little secret that no one else would know but me.

The laundry room was in the basement of the burrow, which could only be accessed by going through the pantry in the kitchen. It was a bit of a design flaw with my dad when he created the house. We used to have laundry chutes until too many of the kits got stuck sliding down them. Now they were blocked up with cement and the basement door was the only way to reach the machines.

I tiptoed carefully out of the J section and into the living room.

Outside, the kits were still playing and Pop-Pop was still napping. It wasn't quite time for lunch yet, but they would be tromping in soon for food. I did not want to be there when that happened.

I back pedaled into the kitchen, keeping my eye on the front door in case someone wandered in so I could book it for the basement.

That wasn't where I should have been looking though…

"Jude," said a stern voice behind me.

I squeaked and almost dropped my dirty sheets and clothes.

I spun around to meet the tired face of Jenny, sitting at the counter and munching on some cookies. I was so distracted with not losing my composure that I had forgotten I was supposed to be angry with her after the last night.

"H-Hi, Jen…"

She raised her eyebrow and glanced at my bedsheet. "What happened there?"

"Nothing! Just...The sheets were musty, so I figured I'd give them a wash."

That's when she started sniffing. I cringed, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"Did you just have sex?"

Jenny was the bluntest amongst the J's about intercourse and relationships. I could remember the time when John was still in the closet about being gay. Jen had sniffed him out real quick and did everything she could to make him be proud about his sexuality. I never understood how she could be so casual and honest about hers and other people's relationships. For a while, we thought she was going to end up being a sex shrink.

I hung my head. "No…"

The scent was obvious enough that she could put the pieces together. Jen covered her mouth to hide a smile, the first one I had seen since our fight over Rocky.

"Holy cow, the dam has burst."

I was too ashamed of myself to even answer her, let alone meet her judging gaze. I just stared down at my feet while she happily munched on her cookie. Had I been looking, I would have noticed it was one of Gideon's police rabbit treats.

"So," she said, finishing her last bite. "Who's the lucky buck to earn your affection? Or, should I say, lust?"

"N-No one. I just needed some alone time..."

I felt like I got my hand caught in the cookie jar. Jenny reached in for a second helping.

"Is it Nick?"

My heart skipped a beat.

I first thought she could smell him on me, until I remembered it was only a dream and we hadn't actually done anything. My face must have had pure panic written on it, because Jenny was laughing. Spittle of cookie crumbs went flying everywhere.

"Oh, you are just adorable. Little Judy Hopps coming home with her fox partner that she secretly wants to make her boy toy."

My face felt beet red and I tried to ignore my older sister as I made my way down to the laundry room. But Jenny continued to follow me, her cookie in paw. I guessed it was revenge for outing her with her own boyfriend.

"Let me guess. This just happened? Like you just realized you may have feelings for him?"

"H-How do you…?"

"Because you're so obvious, Jude. If you had known before, it would have shown more. For example, I might have caught you staring at his butt while we worked at the food stall when you first arrived."

I shuddered. That would have been embarrassing.

"You're lucky I'm the one who found out about this first. Mom would have flipped."

"She can't know about this," I turned to face my sister. " _No one_ can know about this."

"What's the big deal? It's perfectly natural. I mean, sure, it's a problem if you're expecting to have kits somewhere down the line. But there's a whole world open to you now, Jude."

I grunted and tore open the washing machine to chuck my sheets in.

"It wouldn't work."

Jenny frowned. "Why not? You won't know until you've tried, right? I mean, I get it. Bunnies and foxes are like oil and water given our history together. But if I could bring a hyena home and get mom to have a civilized conversation with him, you can—"

"Mom's only a part of the problem," I said before raising an eyebrow. "Wait, you dated a hyena?"

"When you were in the academy. He was a great mammal, but he laughed in his sleep and I just got sick of it. Anyway, don't change the subject on me. Mom will be mom. No matter who you bring home, she's going to inspect them like she's a nuclear physicist disarming an atom bomb. What else you got?"

"...We're co-workers."

"So? John and his hubby were working at the same bar for awhile until I clunked their two heads together so they could figure it out. I'm not saying there won't be problems and compromises down the line. But you're both professionals. And I've seen you work together. You'll be fine."

"I don't even know if he feels the same way."

Jenny blew a raspberry. "I think you have nothing to worry about there, Jude."

"What do you mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just call it intuition."

At that moment, the phone in my pajama pants pocket buzzed wildly. I sighed and grabbed it, glancing at who had left me a text message. To no surprise, it was Jeanette.

"What's that?" Jenny asked.

"Problem number four. Nick's currently on a date with Jeanette Grey."

The hopeful lavender eyes of my sister vanished like a dying fire. I watched her ears droop slightly, killing her smug persona.

"Oh, Jude...I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," I sighed as I started the washing machine. "I'm the one who _asked_ him to go on the date."

"What? Why on earth did you do that?"

"Well, I didn't know how I felt about him at the time, or you could be sure I'd be a _little_ hesitant to offer him up like...Like...Like a sauteed carrot."

Suddenly, I felt like crying and I tried to stop myself by biting at my lip.

This was all incredibly dumb. Even the pat on my shoulder from Jenny felt patronizing.

I was a grown rabbit who had run the gambit of making the difficult climb into the role of a Zootopian police officer. I solved one of the most difficult cases in the history of the entire city. To be crippled by such a ridiculous dilemma was just so...Sobering.

I think, secretly, I had believed Judy Hopps was above these petty mammal emotions and drama. I had fallen victim to my own hype that our ZPD PR folks would bang on about. Judy Hopps was a hero of the city. Judy Hopps was tough as nails. Judy Hopps never fell in love with anyone or missed anything so obvious. But looking back at my track record, I could honestly say I had always been stupid.

"I'm so stupid," I said, wiping my eyes.

"You're not stupid," Jenny offered a hug. "You're just a little overwhelmed. I've been there. We all have."

"I keep thinking 'why can't this be simple?' But then I remember I'm the rabbit who wanted to be a police officer…"

"Yeah...You kind of encourage a rugged lifestyle when you're as determined as you are. But that's also a point in your favor. You'll get through this, Jude."

"I know I will. I'm just...Scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Losing him," I admitted. "We're best friends. He was the first mammal I ever really met when I moved to the city. If I did something wrong and that ended things between us…"

"You don't know if you could deal with it?"

I nodded, sniffling as the machine behind me gave a quiet hum. I took a deep breath before continuing.

"I started an argument with him today when we were out in the square. He's never used my first name before…"

"What happened, exactly?"

I was about to blurt out my interaction with Rocky until I remembered who I was talking to. Jenny had just started speaking civilly to me again. I didn't want to sever our renewed bond by saying something else stupid.

"...We met Rocky this morning."

"Ah."

Though they couldn't be more opposite in their quirks, Jenny was probably the closest out of all the Hopps children in being a replacement for mom. At least, in her personality. She had on a disapproving scowl, the same mom used whenever someone was threatening her kits. It would have been funny were it not so dangerous.

"Well," she said, giving me the permission to continue. "What happened?"

Coming to terms with my new attraction to a predator gave me a fresh perspective on Jenny's relationship with Rocky. Suddenly, most of my old arguments sounded hypocritical and weightless.

"I...Was a major jerk. We hadn't heard from you all night. So, when we found him vendoring some of our old food on the streets...I dunno...I just lost it."

"You didn't beat him up, did you?"

I recognized the real fear in Jenny's voice. It never occurred to me that a tiny rabbit with police training like me could suddenly be considered a threat to other mammals.

"Of course not. I just called him out on how sketchy it looked, asked him where you were, and...Called him a weasel."

I had to quickly search my memory banks to recall if Jenny had ever dated a weasel. Though she had not, she was clearly not amused by the way she crossed her arms.

"Wow. You _were_ a jerk."

"I know...I know," I sighed and covered my face. I had replayed the encounter in my head so many times that I could recite the words I had said by heart. "Nick called me out on being completely irrational and bigoted. He told me to drop it. I couldn't deal with it, I guess. So, I left."

"Huh. Nick's a good fox."

"I know he is. I need to apologize to him but I don't know how I'm even going to face him now that this...This thing happened."

"Well," Jenny sighed, looking down on me with pity in her eyes. "You kind of dug your own grave with this one, Jude. I'm not going to pretend that you don't deserve a little payback after ganging up on me with mom."

I winced. That was more than fair for Jenny to say, but it still stung all the same.

"But considering these turn of events, I can't help but feel sorry for you now. Especially if Nick is involved. It'd be a shame to lose a fox like him if he's half the mammal I think he is. Do you, at least, understand my feelings a little better now with Rocky? With him being a predator?"

I nodded. "Totally get it. It's just...Just…"

"Exotic?" She tried to complete my thought. "Thrilling? Unique?"

"Terrifying," I finished, frowning slightly. "I mean, I barely know what I'm doing here even if Nick wasn't a fox. And I still don't know why it's him, out of all the mammals it could possibly be."

"I get it. This is your first crush and you're confused."

"I guess…"

I slumped to the floor with my back still on the machine. Jenny sat next to me.

"Here's the big secret, Jude. No one really knows why it's one mammal or another. Dad would tell you it's love at first sight. I would say it's the different chemicals in our brains reacting to specific stimuli. But, however you want to look at it, it's something we all have to deal with at some point. I couldn't tell you why it's Nick you're suddenly crazy about. Maybe you have a subconscious lust for foxes after Gideon clawed you on the cheek."

That painted the image in my head of Gideon in a one-piece sexy cowboy outfit attempting to look sultry.

"Jen!"

"What? I'm serious. Kinks start from early childhood events and memories. Remember when Mickey Howle bit me on the leg in grade school?"

"I remember dad freaking out and taking you to the hospital for your shots. Then mom chewing out the poor wolf, and yelling at his father for letting him get near you."

Jenny laughed. "Yeah, she scared him really good. That was why we had to keep it a secret when we started seeing each other in junior high. Bad memories from the family and all that."

"Wait, you mean you were dating him?"

"You were too busy with track and field to notice. Yeah, Mickey was my first boyfriend. We just kept it very lowkey."

I watched my sister smile as she fiddled with her ear as she typically did when lost in thought.

"I was probably just as freaked out as you are now about the whole dating a predator thing. But I realized it was what I wanted and we figured it out together. Turns out the whole biting thing was just his way of getting my attention. And it was _really_ kinky in bed. We probably would still be together if he didn't go off to college…"

"You _slept_ with him!?"

"We dated for four years, Jude. Of course we slept together."

"How?" I asked, trying to comprehend the physics behind such a feat. If my memory was right, Mickey was easily thrice the size of either of us.

Jenny just shrugged. "We just made it work. If you plan on being serious about Nick, you're going to have to have a similar conversation with him. If you get that far."

I could feel the blush eating away at my ears and face.

Besides my dream, I hadn't ever considered sex with anyone before. I mean, sure. I was curious enough throughout high school to do my own...Research. And I knew how to work the equipment. But there just wasn't ever anyone to fulfill any fantasies with.

Most of my excess energy went into my future career as a police officer, as Jenny had pointed out. I was too distracted to stop and start a romance. It shouldn't have come as a surprise to me that Jen would be the exact opposite with a healthy appetite for sex at that age. I was the oddball among rabbits.

"Anyway," Jenny interrupted my thoughts. "Mickey taught me that you can't judge based on appearances with mammals. If you get to know them, they might surprise you in ways you could never imagine."

"Is that why you're with Rocky?"

The nostalgic smile on Jen's face faded.

"Look," she said after a long moment of silence. "I get why you're all worried about me. But I can handle myself when it comes to relationships, especially with predators. Rocco is rough around the edges, I'll admit. But I believe he's a good mammal deep down."

But I knew what Jenny really meant was 'I _hope_ he's a good mammal deep down.'

I bit back a sigh.

Jen was playing a dangerous game with Rocky, and she was fully aware of that fact. But our conversation gave me more insight into what she was thinking by going through with his proposal. I could see it in her eyes after she told me about her old flame. Did she regret ending things with Mickey?

It was only an assumption I had, of course. But maybe Rocky was her way of getting over the grief of lost love. Or finding a replacement.

"That's neither here nor there," Jenny dismissed the subject with a wave of her paw. "Don't worry about my problems, Jude. Let's focus on yours here. So, you discovered you may have feelings for Nick. But now he's dating Jeanette by your suggestion."

I nodded and looked down to my cell phone in my paw. The message Jeanette had sent me was still blinking on the screen, unread.

"Should I open it?" I asked aloud.

"Up to you. My advice? Tell Jeanette how you feel about Nick. It might sting a bit, but she's also a good fox. She'll know you were there first and would be happy to step aside before things get serious. She'll understand."

"But that's not fair to her…"

"Who said love is fair? Look at this way, Jude. One way or another, one of you is going to end up hurt. Is it going to be you, Jean, or Nick?"

It was the mention of Nick that caused me to pause before I opened the text.

 _[Judy? Are you awake? I could use your advice with Nick.]_

Jenny patted me on the shoulder, using me as support while she stood to leave.

"Good luck," she said, taking the last bite of her cookie before hopping up the stairs. "There's no reason to be scared, Judy. You can do this. And who knows? Maybe we'll have a double wedding before this is over."

I knew my sister well enough to recognize when she was trying to be coy but tell me something. My feelings for Nick felt like just a battle between me and Jeanette. Why include Nick in the list of someones who would get hurt?

As I stared down at the screen, my wrist was shaking while I came up with the right reply.

 _[Sure. But we should talk first…]_


	13. Chapter 13: The Coin Toss

**A/N:**

 **And thus we begin again. Thank you for your patience, everyone.**

 **It took me some time, but I think I've explained Nick's motivations a little bit better than I originally did in this chapter (without changing anything in 10 either). That said, I'm still a little nervous its not enough and I'm sure some folks won't be entirely happy. But I'm ready to move on and finish this story. I can say with certainty that it's all uphill from here in terms of both the characters' struggles and the content. So, let's get this story out there for the folks waiting.**

 **I'm going back to the Monday and Friday schedule posting, with estimates of the story being finished on July 14th. It's been a wild ride. Heh, Wilde ride.**

 **Special thanks to Anteroinen for hearing my ideas and providing edits.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen "The Coin Toss"

Jeanette knew just how to keep my attention. Letting me help bake blueberry pies.

Being the mess of emotions I was, the distraction was sorely needed. The trip to the burrow had been one roller coaster ride after another. That wasn't even counting the assembled kiddy-ride out the front of the Hopps Harvest.

I had the personal mission to forget about everything bad around me and replace them with Jeanette.

Having thoughts about Judy? Think about Jeanette and how she finds you attractive enough to date! Worrying about how you were going to handle the Rocky situation? Think about Jeanette and how you'll have her to go back to after you confront the raccoon! Running on zero energy and sleep? Think about Jeanette and how she let you nap in the back of the stall for a bit before setting off to work!

I wouldn't say I was in love with Jean.

I was old enough to know the difference between infatuation and whatever it was our thing meant. We were undefined and still getting to know each other. She hadn't even held my paw yet, but I sensed that her gaze would drift to my backside whenever she thought I wasn't looking. Not so innocent of a vixen, after all.

Being with Jean was soothing to me. It was territory I was familiar with. A safe place. And being in a burrow full of bunnies, that had high appeal to calm my nerves.

Even though I was standing next to her protective older brother helping to make pies, I found myself remarkably calm.

Gideon, on the other paw, was looking stressed with the demand for pies coming down to the wire. He still managed to make conversation with me.

"So," he said, sharing an occasional glance at his sister. "You and Jean, huh?"

I had waken up considerably since breakfast. A little food and a nap went a long way in giving me the energy to function again. It also gave me the time to think some about my relationship with his sister.

"I figured it was time to stop fooling around and get some stability in my life," I answered half-truthfully. "I ain't getting any younger."

"I suppose it would be only a-pro-pre-eight if I acted like the protective older brother and said if you did anything to hurt her, rabbits aren't the only ones to get clawed."

I choked down a snicker at Gideon's mispronunciation of 'appropriate' and gave him my best look of comfort. An honest smile and wide open eyes.

"Chief, I would never, ever do anything to hurt her. I swear on my bushy, red tail."

And that was the truth.

Above everything, the last thing I wanted to do was ever hurt Jeanette, who had no idea of my thing with Judy or Rocky's impending theft. Best just to keep her in the dark about all that. I would handle it all myself.

"Glad to hear it," Gideon let out a satisfied huff. I knew full well that he could still take me on in a fight despite his extra chub. "Just a little surprising is all, you know? I mean, if you knew Jean growing up…"

Filling blueberry pies was a balancing act. You needed to put in just the right amount of fruit to cook to perfection. Too much and the pie would explode in the oven. Too little and you would be left with a very unsatisfying dessert.

"Much improved," I said to my latest creation, intentionally answering Gideon as well. "She's making brave decisions, Chief. So, I understand the worry."

"Now she's got the idea to move out to the city..."

"To be fair, she had that one before I got here."

"Oh, I know. Not many folks can see who the real Jean is underneath all the fluster. Bonnie gets pretty close. But Jeanette's always had her own crazy dreams that she'd love to follow, starting with that baking shop. If things work with you...That's just another reason for her to move out on her own."

"I don't mean to cause you any trouble, Chief."

"Of that I have no doubt, Mr. Wilde. Just...Keep an eye on her when she goes through with it. Okay?"

I smirked. " _When_ she goes through with it, huh?"

"The sticks have always been too small for Jean. It's really only a matter of time before she's brave enough to venture out into the world. And there ain't nothing I can do to stop her once she sets her mind to something."

In the corner of the stall—away from the conversation Gideon and I were sharing—Jeanette was fighting with the makeshift oven assembled for our use.

I had been surprised when I heard her mutter a few curse words. But I had gotten used to the salty sailor act as she tried desperately to cook up the two hundred pies we were still missing for tomorrow's contest. When she wasn't working the oven or reading texts from her phone, she would look up at me and smile. I'd do my best to smile back.

"Alright," I said, returning from spacing out. "Delivery time."

I trotted over to Jean and presented my dessert to her, bowing low in jest.

"One blueberry pie, homemade crust battered in eggs. Ready to go in the oven, madam."

"Thanks, Mr. Wi—Nick! I meant, Nick…"

I chuckled.

I had already given her trouble for calling me Mr. Wilde when we were considered dating at this point. Or were we even dating? Hard to say when you didn't define it with the words.

"Were you listening to that?" I asked as I set the pie down and gestured to Gideon. "I know it's your hobby, all things considered."

She blushed. I could tell she was fighting the urge to apologize again.

"Gideon means well…"

"He just worries about you, as any good sibling should. But you are considering moving to the city sooner rather than later?"

I, of all mammals, knew how difficult it could be to open up to someone. Especially when it came to silly little dreams. I was determined to take my Wilde Times idea to my grave. But Jeanette was a rare vixen to be so open about her ideals. Much like another bunny I knew…

"I've been looking into it," she spoke softly so Gideon wouldn't hear us. "But there's a lot to consider when moving."

"Yup. Rent. Food. Paying movers. Finding a place. That's not including the work involved in starting a business."

"You...Know all about starting a business?"

"Sure do. Remember my talk with Bonnie? I had my own business in selling carpets. Sure, it was an under-the-rug gig, pun intended. But it taught me a lot about what it takes to be your own boss."

I ran through the old memory of my carpeting days. It occurred to me that I had been around Jeanette's age too back then. In hindsight, I had barely known what I was doing.

"Let's see," I said, counting out the steps on my paws. "First, you need to get your permits in order. Especially when it comes to food. Zootopia is very strict when dietary needs are involved. Then, you need to find a suitable place to open up shop and start your business. It's a lot easier if it's a food cart, but if you're looking for an actual building then that needs to pass its own inspection. You need to pick a name for your establishment that hasn't already been taken, work on your brand and such. You need to write a business plan with an accountant, preferably. Expect a lot of time in the city hall for the first few weeks."

I looked over to see if all this talk was scaring Jean. To my surprise, she maintained a face of determination.

"The biggest thing you'll have to worry about is a loan," I spoke truthfully. "All this stuff doesn't come cheap. Especially if you want a building."

"I-I have some money saved up…"

"We're talking around three to five thousand a month, depending on the location and how big you want to go. Then there's equipment you're sure to need, like an oven for baking and display cases. I'd expect a pretty penny, at first."

Tell me about it. There was a reason I never even considered owning a building in Zootopia. It was ridiculously expensive and you needed to really push just to break even at the end of the month. When I sold rugs, I usually just borrowed an open lot in the streets.

I could see that putting an actual number to Jeanette's fears had shaken her a bit by the way she shivered like a leaf.

"You just need a good loan," I said, trying to dismiss the imaginary concerns. "I'll ask around. I know everyone in the city."

"Thank you, Nick," she said, looking up at me with her big blue eyes. "I mean it. I'm lucky to have met you."

"Don't mention it."

My own eyes trailed to the faire outside as I considered Jeanette's loan issue.

My mom used to tell me that the quickest way to get involved with someone was to start caring about their problems. It worked with Judy when we were handling the Nighthowler case, I figured I'd try my luck with Jean's bakery.

It'd be a good first step. A common ground we could work on together and connect with. A good way to distance myself from Judy. But I didn't have the heart to tell Jeanette that she was looking at a loan of a hundred thousand dollars, at least. Not exactly easy money to come up if you were young and had no prospects…

But I wanted to give Jean that chance and made it my business to care.

Maybe I could scour the city and dig up some old contacts. Call in some old debts. Maybe I could approach Mr. Big about it in return for a favor. I had options, though none of them sounded very appealing and would involve some sort of dangerous debt.

As I continued to glance outside, I saw a large semi truck rounding about the faire center. It plowed through the mud on the ground and stopped just before the center display. A familiar greasy-looking raccoon stepped out of the driver seat, a grim smirk on his face.

A feeling of dread came over me. Things were about to become loud in the quiet festival grounds.

Alright...Let's just get this over with and find out what Rocky's plan was to report him.

I conjured a quick excuse. "Uh, can you guys handle the stall for a quick minute? I need to grab a drink real fast."

My request was granted and I stepped out into the brisk fall day.

The festival was really coming together compared to how it looked yesterday.

Most of the stalls were set up and the rides were all assembled, though someone had gone a little crazy with the water on one of the games. There looked to be an explosion and a small pond of mud blocking my way to Rocky.

I was suddenly thankful I wasn't wearing my slacks as I trudged across the inch deep muck. Or shoes, for that matter.

Shoes were one of those things very few mammals wore and for good reason. Our feet had evolved such that an extra layer of protection was just redundant. But the richer mammals would insist on wearing ridiculous footwear, even though keeping them clean would be a major pain. I pondered the notion of donning protective wads of cloth over my toes as I waddled through the mud, which sucked in my feet.

I was grateful I didn't wear shoes. If I did, they would have gotten stuck in the muck when I stopped in place for a moment.

Standing across the mudpit, staring right at me, was Judy.

Her ears were dropped low, like something was wrong but I couldn't begin to imagine what. She had her cellphone in her paws, texting someone. I also noticed she had changed her clothes, probably from taking a shower. Her new jeans and T-shirt had only gotten ruined by the layer of mud caked up to her shins. Most noticeable were her eyes, wide and full of hurt. They contrasted with my scowl from across the mudpit.

She must have just arrived on her own, I certainly didn't hear anything. Between my nap and my time spent with Jeanette, my argument with Judy felt like a week ago. I couldn't even remember exactly what the words we said were. But I did know one thing.

I was angry with her.

If I was in a better mental state, I could forgive her for our fight. I would even start that apology, knowing I had been as much a jerk as she had. But I still wasn't all there yet. And there was something deeper at play. Something left unsaid, stinging in my mouth like a root canal.

How dare she throw my feelings for her back in my face?

That kind of thinking was immature and stupid, I know. Judy had no real way of knowing about my crush for her. But time away from her made me realize why I was upset. Judy's rejection _hurt_ me. And I hadn't been wounded like that since the Nighthowler case.

This time, I wasn't going to let her put me out of commission again for a month.

No. This time I was going to prove to Judy that I didn't need her. Nick Wilde didn't need a rabbit dogging his sleep or giving him constant heartbreak. I was my own mammal. I could have my own interests. I could have Jeanette who, in my tired eyes, was better in every conceivable way. She was simpler and didn't make me feel like a mess all the time. And I could give her everything she needed to be happy. I could forget about Judy.

I realized I had been glaring at Judy for a solid ten seconds. I huffed and continued on my way.

Judy lingered for a moment before shuffling in the direction I had come from.

Just seeing Judy had gotten me so worked up that I had forgotten why I was on this lonely stretch of road to begin with. I remembered when I looked up and saw the semi truck parked before the golden carrot.

I approached the ramp leading to the back of the truck and knocked at the door.

"Anybody home?"

"Nick!" Rocky let out a puff of smoke as he turned to greet me. "Come in, come in!"

I coughed at the smog from his cigarette as I ducked my head to enter the trailer.

The back of the semi was filled with crates of rotten fruits and vegetables. Most of them, I guessed, were spoils of the raccoon had borrowed from unwitting farmers. The few boxes that weren't food crates were brimming with goods for the faire. I recognized a few prize toys, including stuffed rabbits and toy cap guns from the Hopps food stand.

"Give me a paw with this, would you?" he asked me while he attempted to pull at one of the larger boxes. "Need to look busy."

I smirked. "Of course."

My default smarm mode was starting to take over. I tried to keep the focus on discovering what the raccoon's plan was with the carrot and maybe lead to his arrest. But my mind was still wrapped up with things concerning Judy and Jeanette. One word in particular rang in my head like a bell.

Loan.

While I did most of the work holding up my end of the box, Rocky scuttled down the ramp. The box in my paws clicked, like there was glass hidden beneath the toys.

On the occasion, Rocky would glance at the golden carrot, which was a few feet away. Then he would look to me, prompting me to share the interest in the icon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he asked.

I shrugged. "It looks fake to me."

"I've been told that when faced with an extraordinary amount of cash, most mammals balk at accepting it to be real. It'd be like watching money rain from the sky. You wouldn't know what to do with it all, or couldn't process that it was really happening. But take my word for it. That's real solid gold there. About twenty five pounds of it."

I wobbled a bit trying to hold up my end of the box. "Let me guess...You're saving your back strength so you can grab that thing and run away with it?"

"Sure. And then I'll put on a top hat and tie Jenny to some train tracks while laughing maniacally. Come on, Nick. You should know that's not how smooth criminals operate anymore. You'd never get away with it."

"I might actually pay to see that."

"Well, I ain't getting arrested for your amusement. I've already served a month for stealing hubcaps off of parked cars during the Carrot Day festival. I don't want to see what the sentence would be for swiping a million dollar carrot."

I raised an eyebrow. "You have a good fence then?"

"Yep. Some zebra in the city willing to pay double for what the base value is. It's a gold mine, pun intended. And it's literally just sitting there, waiting for someone to take it."

We dropped the wooden crate in the mud. My back complained to me as I stretched in place.

"So," I groaned. "If you don't plan on just walking up and taking it, how are you going about it?"

"Smartly and cleverly. Raccoons are nocturnal, so we'll work in the dark, for starters. I'll wait until the end of the faire, when things are winding down and everyone gets tired. That's when I'll pull the truck around and pick up these boxes."

"These aren't just toys for the kits, are they?"

"Not unless you want to get in trouble giving away beer to underage rabbits," Rocky dug past one of the stuffed animals and held up a cheap looking bottle of ale. "Step two, everyone a little tipsy."

"That's going to be hard to pull off. Isn't this supposed to be a dry carnival?"

"You let me worry about that. I've been to enough bunny fairs in my day to know that where there's a public event, there's heavy drinking. Even if it's all under the table. I can remember getting plastered with Gideon back in the day when we were in junior high. Trust me, I can peddle this stuff privately without the Hopps catching wind."

I found myself getting more curious about the raccoon's scheme. It was just like the old days with me and Finnick. That mingled with my thoughts of Jeanette. My mouth continued to move on its own as the words rang in my ears.

Loan. Loan.

"Sounds like you got it figured out then. Why do you need me?"

"I can handle the actual stealing part," said Rocky. "Don't need too many cooks in the kitchen there. And you don't have to get your paws dirty in the slightest. I got transportation too. And I can get it from point A to B with no problems. But my fence is a popular mammal and has a busy schedule."

"You need a place to keep the carrot then?"

"You know the city. You must have someplace I can keep it safe. There are plenty of dangers on the streets that I'd like to avoid."

"True. Mob bosses. Pickpockets. Security cameras, To name a few."

Loan. Loan. Loan.

"So, you understand why I'm approaching you," Rocky asked, keeping his voice low as folks passed near us. "This is big, Nick. Folks trust you. And you've managed to get the Hopps on your side. I need to keep it under wraps as best I can or I might find myself floating down river."

"Or encased in a block of ice…"

Loan. Loan. Loan. _Enough_.

"What's in it for me?" I blurted out.

Rocky looked taken aback by my question. He fiddled with the cigarette in his lips.

"A fair percentage, of course. Five percent of the cut."

That wasn't nearly enough to risk everything for.

I kept telling myself that I didn't need Judy. I could do this. I was a hustler for twenty years and Rocky was a desparate enough looking mammal. Push harder, Nick. Push for...For...

"Twenty percent."

Rocky winced and spat on the ground. "You're crazy. Seven, at most."

It needed to be at least ten percent. Loan. Jeanette had her loan to worry about. And I could get her that money. I could prove that Judy didn't get to me.

But Rocky had told me everything I needed to make an arrest. I had my duty to think of, though that suddenly didn't feel as important. To be a police officer was to be with Judy. The thought of spending every day with her soured my mouth. I would be so unhappy, knowing she'd never be with me. And I'd be in pain all the time.

One way or another, Jeanette's loan was going to be hard to acquire. The last thing I wanted her to do was approach someone shady, like Mr. Big, for money. I had given Gideon my word that I'd look out for her in the city.

The choice boiled down to Judy or Jeanette, in my mind. But I didn't have the strength to decide at that moment.

A coin toss then. Ten percent or bust.

"Ten or I walk."

Though I kept composed, my insides were on fire and I was resisting the urge to pant. Rocky took a long drag of his cigarette as he decided my fate. He finished it and flicked it on the ground. The embers were stomped out.

"Alright. Ten it is."

They say when faced with a difficult between two options, a coin toss will tell you want you really want before the coin even lands. But, with the outcome decided, I still couldn't say how I felt about the result.

So, I tried to convince myself.

It's not like you ever wanted to be a cop. Right, Nick? And Rocky said you weren't getting your paws dirty. I could quietly retire as an officer. Judy...Judy could think what she wanted to. Maybe I would join with Jeanette and help with her bakery. Work there and get a business started. That was the only comforting thought as I accepted the raccoon's paw.

"Deal."

"You're one crazy fox. You know that, Wilde?"

I chuckled. "You have no idea."

I glanced up to the golden statue as we continued our work unloading the truck.

This was for Jeanette, and for my own peace of mind. It's not like I was the one stealing the statue, right? Just keep smiling Nick.

Keep trying to pretend nothing is wrong.


	14. Chapter 14: The Mudhole

Chapter Fourteen "The Mudhole"

My nose twitched involuntarily.

You could do this, Judy. It was just a talk with Jeanette. And you hadn't been scared of foxes since the Nighthowler incident.

It had started so well too.

I was fully prepared to march over to the pie stand and confess my feelings about Nick to her. If it hadn't been for running into Nick himself…

If looks could kill, Nick's glare from across the mudhole would have been a bullet between the eyes. He shook me up real bad with nothing more than a hard stare.

I tried my best to collect myself.

I should have known I would have encountered Nick coming to the faire. But somehow he seemed angrier with me than this morning. Like we barely knew each other. It was the same look of disdain he had given me during the early parts of our Nighthowler case, when I was giving him a hard time with my recording of his tax evasion. Back then, I deserved his ire.

Had our argument hurt him that badly?

We had been pretty heated in our words in the town square. And it sounded like being in Bunnyburrow was starting to make him very uncomfortable. Whatever the reason for his attitude, it was a cold, long walk to the Grey pie stand.

Thankfully, a warmer face greeted me.

"Afternoon, Judy."

"Gideon Grey," I answered with a smile.

There was a time when seeing the pudgy tod would have filled me with dread. But at that moment, the sight of a friendly fox cleared the storm cloud hovering over me. Or at least just a bit.

"Going to be ready for tomorrow?" I asked.

Though his face remained pleasant, I could see the panic in his eyes The fingers of his paws were dyed blue.

"Shucks, Judy. We're coming down to the wire here. I sure hope Nick comes back soon. Still have two hundred pies to bake for the pie eating contest and more treats to sell."

I wondered briefly if it would sound too nosey to ask where Nick was going before throwing caution to the wind.

"Where did he go?"

"Just off to get a drink. Should be back soon, I'd reckon."

I felt my nose squirm. I needed to make this quick then to avoid more confrontations.

"I'd hate to steal another one of your workers, but is Jean there? I need to speak with her."

There was hesitation in Gideon's eyes but he relented. Perhaps he noticed my nose.

"Course, Judy. She's just in the back."

He stepped to the side and allowed me to pass into the stall.

I was greeted by the scent of toasted blueberries coming from the cheap oven the Greys had borrowed from dad for the purposes of the faire. Hovering over the machine was Jeanette, wearing a smile on her face and humming an old country tune. She noticed me as I approached.

"Hi, Judy."

"Hey," I muttered, knowing I had come to sour her good mood. "How, uh, how are things?"

It was stupid to hope that she'd say anything other than 'great' but I figured it was worth a shot.

"Nick was talking about helping me start a shop in the city," she said, playing with her earrings. "I think I might ask to move in with him if I can get a loan for my bakery..."

"W-What? Isn't that way too soon?"

"Well...You're probably right. I was only thinking about costs and how that might be the cheapest and easiest solution if we can keep the relationship going. And I think we can do it. I just feel like things have been going really well. Since the breakfast this morning, he's been very attentive and involved in my bakery idea. I think he likes me a lot. Or maybe it's just the first date butterflies. You know what I mean?"

"I've never dated before…"

"Oh, that's right. Sorry, Judy. I just feel like I could break out into song at any moment. You were right. Nick is a good fox."

Her every word was like a knife to my heart. My paw moved to my chest as I tried to put on a smile. Jeanette must have detected the fakeness of it and frowned.

"Your message," she said, as she reached into her apron pocket to pull out her phone. "You said you wanted to talk, right?"

"Yeah...I can come back later if you want." I offered her an out so I didn't bring down her parade.

"No, this is fine. Do you want to speak in private?"

"That'd be best…"

We ducked behind the cloth flap of the stall, leaving Gideon to manage the pies. The poor tod was starting to look a little overwhelmed, sprinkled with the regret of offering to handle dessert for the entire Hopps Harvest.

Outside the back was a clutter of leftover supplies from around the faire.

The stalls had mostly been set up, with the rides functioning and rabbits scrambling about on the main square behind us. There were significantly more helpers than there were the day before, nearing almost a hundred paws ready to aid mom and dad get by getting everything in working order before tomorrow.

The faire would open at exactly ten o'clock, though it was sure to be bustling before then, as it was every year. The out-of-towners would join in shortly after they heard what all the hubbub was. By midafternoon, the Hopps Harvest would be in full swing. There would be a song in everyone's heart. Almost.

"I was going to ask Nick out to the faire," Jeanette confessed. "For real this time. Just the two of us. It'll be a real date. Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? You think I should be more assertive around Nick and make this my next step?"

"No…"

Jeanette's ears flattened. I had all but confirmed for her that this wouldn't a happy talk.

"Well...What's on your mind then, Judy?"

Just tell her you had feelings for Nick. Or you thought you did...No! No second guessing yourself!

Suddenly, the entire conversation I had with Jenny earlier faded away in my head like sand in the wind.

I could tell I was leaving Jeanette with an awkward silence, but I couldn't help it. I was panicking and my heart was pumping like a machine gun. Jeanette was starting to look more like a hungry predator in my eyes as the fear set in.

Why was this impossible to admit?

I had done fine with Jenny, though she had been the one to rip the confession out from me. Was that the difference? Or was it the mammal I was speaking to? I didn't even know Jeanette that well. Even if she was like family to mom, she couldn't replace a true sister. But that shouldn't have mattered.

Jean was a good mammal. And my feelings would break the start of something beautiful between her and Nick. I knew Nick would do her well. But even that wasn't the real reason my tongue went heavy in my mouth...

"Judy?"

"Sorry…"

I blinked several times, trying to come up with an answer that could satisfy Jeanette. Or at least something to take the subject in another direction.

"It's just… I don't think it's a good idea to be getting involved with Nick."

"W-What?"

That was one of the worst things I could have said. But it was too late to back down now that I was in the mudhole.

"Well...I thought about it and...He's over ten years older than you."

"So what? I don't see how that matters."

I ran down the list of unreasonable excuses in my head.

"Uh...I mean, does your brother know about this thing with Nick?"

"Yes," Jeanette said more fiercely as she crossed her arms. "We've been completely honest with Gideon and he's perfectly fine with it. He just wants me to be careful. Especially in the city. But Nick said he'll watch out for me there. He said he knows folks."

"But...But...Do you know why that is?"

"Judy what are you talking about?"

It was the same feeling I felt when I was accusing Rocky of stealing that morning. I was starting to sound like a bigot again.

"Do you...Know what Nick used to do before he became a cop?"

"That he was a con artist? Yes. He told me all about it. Are you seriously trying to use that to...What? Make me uninterested in Nick?"

I wasn't sure what surprised me more, that Jeanette knew all about Nick's past or the increasing volume in the tone of her voice. Suddenly, the once shy vixen didn't look so small and meek. She glared at me, in the similar manner that Nick had from across the mudpit.

But she stopped just short of shouting, sighing heavily.

"Judy, what's this all about? I thought you would be happy for me. I'm doing it. I'm coming out of my shell."

"I am! It's just…"

Third chance, Judy. This was probably going to be your last one with how badly the conversation was going.

"I just...I'm…I…"

Jeanette gave me a fair amount of time to speak. Thirty whole seconds of silence while I stammered like an idiot.

But I couldn't get the words out. I slumped my arms in defeat.

"Look," she said. "I don't know what your problem is all of a sudden. But I like Nick and I want to see where this goes with him. Do you have an issue with that?"

I looked down to my feet for comfort. They were starting to sink into the mud from standing still for too long.

"...No."

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some pies to bake."

Judy Hopps, you were a dumb, dumb bunny.

It was a slow trudge back to the faire, with my head hung low and ears drooped even lower.

Even the work my parents almost immediately assigned me when I came back couldn't break me from the funk of failure. Since moving to Zootopia, failing at every turn was something I was getting more accustomed to.

Jenny's words from earlier rang in my head.

"There's no reason to be scared, Judy."

Fear.

That old, stupid enemy I thought I had crushed when we cracked the Nighthowler case and saved the city from tearing itself apart. Evidently, there was more to be scared of than savage predators or near death situations. And had it not been Nick who stole my heart, I had a feeling I'd still be going through the same obstacle course with another mammal.

Fear and love were two sides of the same coin, after all.

You needed love to overcome being scared of something. But love also bred fear, when you were afraid to lose what you had. It was a stupid philosophical back and forth that made my brain hurt. I studied health, math, and science in school. Not feelings and state of being, which I had considered a waste of my pursuits towards the police academy.

But that's how I felt with Nick. Fear and love at the same time.

The dream in the shower replayed in my head to give me some minor relief as I worked. I was afraid that Nick was really going to eat me at first. But then it evolved into something else. Something passionate and primal. My headache returned just trying to make sense of it all.

Despite Jenny's reassurances, it still made no sense for Judy Hopps to be in love with a fox. But it made even less sense for her to be afraid about it.

It worried my parents when they eventually stopped by to see how I was making out with finishing assembling the rides.

"Are you sure you don't want me to give you a drive home, sweetie?" Mom asked me when it was dinner time.

"No, that's okay. I...Need some time to think."

I didn't even get the chance to tell her that I had seen Jenny back at the house. Mom would find that particular surprise out on her own. That was sure to be another fight that I didn't want to be present for.

I just slumped my shoulders and made my way back to the burrow.

It wasn't an exhaustive walk from the faire. An hour at most, and that was if you were being really slow.

I couldn't bring myself to admire the sights of autumn in Bunnyburrow. The trees were already in full fall bloom and leaves were starting to litter the dirt road in small clumps that made them easy to kick as I meandered.

It was a walk to wallow in self pity and berate myself.

I accepted that much when I started down the street. A walk with the dead and dumb. Judy Hopps, the dumb bunny who doesn't even realize she's in love. All those old love songs I used to scoff at on the radio started to make sense as they played in my head.

In the distance the tractors were dying down and the families around the farmlands were heading inside to relax before the faire tomorrow. Not even the nostalgic scent of dry leaves and a fireplace going in one of the burrows could raise my spirits.

It was dark by the time I got home. Not so much that I couldn't see where I was going, the lights from the burrow helped with that. But enough that I wondered where the day went.

My feet kicked up dust as I walked, still dried with mud from earlier. I needed to rinse them off before I got inside.

Dad kept a few hoses out front for just such an occasion.

I realized how alone I was.

Everyone, including my playful siblings, had gone into the burrow for dinner. The light inside beckoned me to join them. Though I didn't know if I wanted to see anyone with my mind in the gutter. I just wanted space.

As I made my way to the porch, a truck pulled up to our driveway. I glanced behind me and gulped.

Grey's Old Fashion Bakery Service.

Nick stepped out of the passenger seat.

He gave a few words to the driver, who I assumed was Jeanette. He smiled and waved to her as the vehicle took off. He didn't even notice me until he turned around.

We both froze.

I sighed and averted my eyes, making the first move. I didn't want to be glared at by him again.

I stepped up to the porch and then towards one of the hoses. Nick crept up behind me, having the same idea to clean his feet before we tracked mud through my parent's house.

Neither of us wanted to look at each other.

The silence was deafening. And I told myself to focus. I hadn't seen Nick up close since my dream and my heart was speeding up with him just standing next to me.

Come on, Judy. Just clean your feet and go inside to have dinner. You can do this.

But even washing off my feet proved too challenging for me in my emotional state.

I reached for the tap only to discover too late that someone had removed the nozzle, leaving just the bare hose.

Ice cold water poured out, spraying in every direction. But, mostly, it landed on Nick.

I heard a yelp as I scrambled to close the tap. I was too late.

Nick stood next to me, soaked to the fur and looking very displeased.

"Nick…" I tried to say my sorries while I turned off the hose.

But before I could apologize to him, a wild idea popped into his head. He grabbed his own hose and unscrewed the nozzle.

"Nick," I put my paws up in a pitiful defense to what was coming. "No...Don't—ACK!"

I let out a bloodcurdling shriek as a stream of frozen well water drenched my clothes and knocked me to the floor. Nick had put his paw to the nozzle and created a jet stream with enough water pressure to throw me from my feet. I did my best to cover my face so the blast wouldn't get me in the eyes. My ears weren't so lucky and they wobbled with the waves. I was completely soaked in a matter of seconds.

Despite the freezing cold temperature outside, I was laughing.

Nick turned off the water when he decided I had had enough. I saw a big smirk stretched out across his face. His amusement turned to concern when he saw me shivering on the floorboards.

"Need a towel?"

I clattered my teeth and nodded. Mom would have a fit if I walked through her house drenched to the bone. Nick had gotten away with only a wet shirt, which he removed as he trotted through the front door.

He returned wrapped in the biggest towel we had in the house.

His bare chest was exposed and I felt a blush burn the tips of my ears. He was still averting his eyes from me, probably because the water had made the thin T-shirt I was wearing become see-through. A fluffy towel was dropped on my head and I hugged it close. Nick's scent was still lingering on it. Blueberries and coffee.

"Thanks for that," I said, trying to not let the moment of leviety die. "That makes two showers for me today."

"Two for me too, Fluff. Remember this morning?"

Admittedly, the only thing I could remember about the start of the day was the briefest of glances I caught of Nick's butt in the bath. I huffed a laugh and nodded, doing my best to keep warm.

The silence ate the space between us and I was afraid Nick would get bored and go back inside.

"Nick," I said to keep him sitting with me. "About today...I'm sorry. I acted completely irrational towards Rocky and said some hurtful things to you."

Nick shrugged. "I'll be honest, after speaking with the raccoon, some of those things you said were pretty spot on."

I nervously chuckled. It was good to see my police senses weren't completely out of whack.

"I'm sorry too, Carrots," he continued, rubbing the bridge of his snout. "Things have been...Crazy for me lately. I've been letting what you said blow up to mean something more than it did. You were just trying to protect your sister from an admitted shady mammal."

The air between us cleared and I could put on my first honest smile all day. "Yeah...It was a rough day without you."

"Did you miss me that much, Fluff?"

I quickly realized I wasn't out of the woods yet. There was still my pent up feelings for Nick to contend with and, knowing my mouth, I was bound to give away something I shouldn't. I chose my words very carefully.

"I-I mean, it's just so...Quiet without you around. I had forgotten what it was like to have time to think."

"Good to know. Next time I'm angry with you, I'll crank up the smarm and wit. I'll drive you noots."

I giggled to acknowledge Nick's reference. I didn't want there to be a next time.

"So, dad told you the 'noots' story, huh?"

"Sure did. I can safely tell you, without a doubt, that your family is crazy, Carrots. Certified by Nick Wilde, judge of desperate households."

"Well," I said with a smile. "You can blame me for encouraging you to come along and seeing where I get it from."

I paused and frowned.

"Nick...Are you sure you don't regret coming with me to the burrow?"

He gave the question a moment to stew, looking in my eyes with a hint of sorrow to them.

"I'm not going to pretend it's been sunshine and rainbows, Carrots. Though it's been nice to meet Jeanette."

"Yeah…"

I regretted bringing up the topic immediately. But talking about the subject was all I could do to prevent myself from uttering a clumsy confession. I looked up at the sky as I sighed.

"I just...I wanted you to enjoy this, Nick. The good sides of things. It's not always just family drama and work down here."

Over the horizon, the moon had risen, full and yellow. Old stories came to my mind that Pop-Pop would tell us of witching hour and lunatics. There were memories of trick or treating in the dark or staying out late to catch ghosts in the local cemetery. Happy thoughts of a simpler time.

"I remember the faire being this great event that I would look forward to every year as a kit, since Gideon had ruined the Carrot Day Festival for me. It was always fun and I got to be with all my family...And I wanted to share that with you."

"Share that with me?"

"I was thinking about it recently. You don't talk a lot about yourself, Nick. We're best friends, but I know next to nothing about you outside the basics. Did you ever go to the carnival as a kid?"

Nick thought for a moment. "Once or twice, enough to enjoy it."

"Well, I wanted to give you something else to enjoy. It was stupid and thoughtless, I know that now. But I was hoping the faire was something we could share...Together."

Knowing that Jeanette had probably already asked Nick out to the Hopps Harvest was a bitter pill to swallow. But I didn't deserve pity. I wasn't fast enough or brave enough to admit my feelings. I felt stupid blurting out what I said, in the vain attempt that it would make anything better. It was too late and the damage had been done.

Nick rubbed the back of his head and stared off into the moon.

"Well," he said. "Why don't you come with me tomorrow then?"

Hope filled my heart for a second just before cynical Judy took over.

"But didn't you have date plans with Jeanette?"

"Well, yeah...But I'm sure she won't mind if you come along. You're the one who invited me to come down to the burrow. I think it's only fair that we get to go to the carnival together, right?"

"If you say so…"

"It'll be fine," he assured me with a smile. "I'll talk her into it."

"Only if you're sure, Nick…"

"I am," he faced me. "Absolutely. One hundred percent."

Our inside joke made me chuckle and was more than enough to comfort me. "Dumb fox…"

"Sly bunny."

The urge to rest my head on his shoulder was strong as we both stared into the moon. But I resisted. We lingered for a time, enjoying each other's company before getting cold and heading back inside.

Back in the burrow, the kits were bouncing around the living room, trying to give mom and Jenny some space. Nick didn't hear, but my ears could pick up the argument going on in the kitchen. They were retreading the same ground as the previous night.

Nick and I parted ways before our rooms.

I threw on some dry clothes to get ready to eat with the rest of the family. But not before I collapsed into my bed to stare up at the ceiling.

Had Nick really just invited me to come along on his date?

Though I was happy we had made up, I couldn't help but feel Nick was going to be in huge trouble with Jeanette in the morning.


	15. Chapter 15: A Better Mammal

Chapter Fifteen "A Better Mammal"

I was in trouble. Oh, so much trouble.

'Why don't you come along on my date, Judy? I'm sure Jeanette won't mind.' Who was this dumb fox and what did he do with Nick Wilde?

This was the most idiotic thing I had done since I tried to sell Mr. Big the skunk butt rug. Though stupid decisions had been par for the course with me on this trip.

I spent the remainder of the night questioning my sanity and keeping my mouth shut before I said something else that was completely stupid. Even if it had put me back into a good standing with Judy.

Judy…

Why was I continuing to let myself get my hopes up about that rabbit? I kept telling myself to abandon ever starting a relationship with her. Yet that night when she looked at me with those sad eyes...I was a toy. A rabbit's plaything. And she had no idea.

How was I supposed to explain it to Jeanette without her murdering me? That wasn't even chalking up my other big problem involving Rocky. But the heist had taken a backseat to the more pressing matter of Judy.

Sleep was strange that night, if I even slept at all.

It was one of those weird instances where you would lie in bed and glance at your clock—or cell phone in my case—to read the time. Then you'd close your eyes and open them. You'd look over again and it'd be an hour later than it was the last time you checked the clock. Rinse and repeat until daylight crept through the blinds.

I woke up dazed and confused, but in better shape than the day before.

After the water fight with Judy, I didn't think I needed a shower and I just swiped some Musk-Away along my pits. I'd have to remember to purchase more when this was all over.

I threw on the usual duds, green shirt and slacks, before stumbling into the kitchen.

To my surprise, the Hopps household was packed.

No less than fifty bunnies were hopping about the living room, breaking their fast with cereal and gathered around the television at the center. The kitchen was less crowded, with Bonnie sitting at the table sipping coffee and watching her kits like a hawk.

I had to admit, it was a little hard to face her with what I had planned with Rocky later that evening. Especially after her threat to watch my every move. But you didn't get to be a con artist without putting on an act every now and then. I offered her a fake smile.

"Morning," I said, helping myself to coffee and avoiding the rugrats dancing between my legs. "Where is everyone, eh?"

Bonnie missed my joke, as per usual.

"Stu is at the festival, getting things ready with most of the older kits. Judy and Jen are in their rooms."

"Jenny's back, huh?"

"Since yesterday afternoon," Bonnie turned to face me. Her eyes looked quite restless. "She and Judy have mended their bridges but she won't speak to me yet."

I shrugged in response.

Couldn't imagine why that was. If you burn enough bridges, eventually there's nowhere for you to walk. And from what I had been hearing through the walls of the burrow, Bonnie had taken a flamethrower to Jenny only for Jen to drop her like a rock into the river. That almost made me feel sorry for the bunny mom. I realized this was the first time Bonnie and I had spoken to each other since our confrontation on Saturday.

The con artist in my head told me to leave the conversation as it was. I was going to be involved in stealing from Bonnie. I was proving her right, in the end.

But, for some reason, I decided to continue talking.

"Jenny's been pretty friendly to me," I said with a smile. "From what I've seen, she's not one to hold a grudge. She'll come around. Take it from someone who knows about a rough relationship with his mom."

Bonnie looked sad for a moment.

"Why did you leave your mother, Mr. Wilde?"

That was one of the things that was painful to bring up in our talk, so I had skipped over it.

"I got caught stealing," I admitted. "It was just some rugs, old things from a factory that I thought no one would miss. But apparently someone did and sent the cops after me. When mom bailed me out of jail, we started fighting and didn't stop for days. I just got sick of it and left one night. Lived on the streets for awhile until I pulled myself together. Made a lot of mistakes along the way. But I never did steal anything big like that ever since."

Until today.

After a long minute of silence, Bonnie spoke again.

"I'm terrified Jenny might end up the same way. That, one day, I'm going to push too hard and send her away from the burrow. I've lost Jacky like that. But, at least, I know she'll be alright with Bart. Jenny has always been about her rebellions. Sometimes I feel like her choices have just been to spite me."

"Speaking from her side, Mrs. Hopps, not a day goes by that I don't regret leaving my mom like I did. Now that I'm older, and less reckless, I think about her all the time. I've often debated going up to her house and seeing her again."

"Why didn't you?"

"Pointless pride? Shame? Fear? Take your pick. After a while, it just felt like going back home would make me look stupid. Like it was all for nothing. Sometimes you just need a little motivation from an unlikely place to get you moving."

I winked at her, causing her to sigh. However, her tone was less somber when she spoke again.

"Have you ever thought about having children, Mr. Wilde?"

"Hah. When I was a hustler, having kits was the furthest thing from my mind."

"But what about now that you've gone straight?"

"Now?" The images of Judy and Jeanette flashed across my eyes. "I'm not so sure…"

Bonnie gave me a knowing smirk.

"If you do make that decision, expect a lot of headaches. But they'll be worth more to you than gold. Even when they're angry at you."

"More than gold, huh?"

I took a long sip of my coffee and gagged slightly. It tasted like mud in my mouth. I had been drinking way too much lately.

"I wanted to apologize, Mr. Wilde."

"That's really not necessary, ma'am."

My eyes pleaded with her. I'm going to be involved in stealing something from you today. Please don't make this harder for me than it already is.

"I think it is. I know I've given you a hard time this weekend. And, if I can't set things right with Jenny, I wanted to let you know I was wrong about you, at least. You handle a lot of unfair scrutiny being what you are. And what you were. But you're a better mammal than most that I know to step away from that life."

Ugh, don't say that. I'm a trash mammal and an idiot to boot.

"That's kind of you to say, ma'am. Thank you."

"I'm glad my daughter met you. Having you here has been good for my family. I'm trying to get over my inbred distrust of outsiders. But it's not easy, especially if you grew up with a father like mine."

"You do fine," I was fast growing uncomfortable with the praise and the coffee wasn't any good to drink for a distraction. "I, uh, I forgot something in my room. I'll be right back."

What was with that, Nick? Couldn't handle an apology and a compliment from one bunny?

Maybe because it was Bonnie, the rabbit who had given me the most grief when she had no reason to early on. But now that I was actively proving her accusations right from the start...What was I feeling? Guilt? Isn't that what they called it? Feelings and emotions? Those were dangerous for a con artist to have...

The little coffee I had drunk battled with my stomach as I lurched my way towards my bedroom.

I heard a squeak and the door slam from Jenny's room as I approached. My ears detected whispers from beyond the walls but I shrugged. There were other things on my mind.

Despite my body resisting, I chugged the entire mug of coffee before setting it down on my nightstand. The small closet I had been sleeping in that weekend had grown familiar and I was strangely comfortable there. I knew every inch of it, like a prisoner knew their cell.

Under the bed was my travel bag, with my dirty clothes thrown in a heap next to it.

Something called out to me and I reached down to sort through the contents. There was only a pair of clothes for tomorrow, when we'd head home on the train and go straight to work at the police station from there.

That was when I found my badge.

I had forgotten about my badge the whole weekend, buried at the bottom of all my clothes.

It's not like I needed it when off duty. It was just something I'd have to give up if I ran this heist with Rocky. The metal icon felt like a rock in my paw. But I couldn't put it down. Bonnie's silly words kept echoing in my head.

"You're a better mammal than most I know..."

A knock at my door snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Mr. Wilde?" said Jenny. "Jeanette just pulled into the driveway. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," I replied, dropping my badge into my pocket. "Yeah, just a sec."

I grumbled a curse, having momentarily forgotten the impending confrontation with Jeanette about including Judy on our date.

You could do this, Nick. You just had to lay on the charm and sound convincing enough that Judy still didn't have your eye.

Jenny greeted me outside my bedroom.

The chubby rabbit had the look of someone who had just woken up, still standing in her pajamas and ears disheveled. Despite that, she had on a coy smirk that I had come to know well.

"Hang on," she said, stopping me before I could go out to greet Jeanette. "Let me get Judy."

Jenny knocked at her own bedroom door. That explained why I had heard whispering a minute ago…

"Come on, Jude. You gotta come out if you want to go to the faire."

I mulled over the irony that it was Judy holding us up instead of me. Usually, I was the one who had to be dragged out of bed, being nocturnal and prone to insomnia.

Judy finally opened the door before her sister could give another impatient knock.

My jaw dropped. It was never easy, was it?

It was the first time I had ever seen Judy wear a dress. She was the jock type, sticking to jogging clothes or jeans when off duty, at most.

But there she was, standing with ears tucked behind her head and a clear blush on her face. She was wearing a beautiful white sundress with thin straps. At her neck was a black choker with a gemmed carrot. Was she wearing makeup? She was. Most mammals with fur didn't bother with the heavy foundation in the way, say, a pig would. An expert paw had done Judy's eyeliner, making her purple eyes pop more. Her cheeks had been touched up, removing what few imperfections in her pattern there were. And there were her lips, which had just the slightest rosey color to them.

"You alright there, Mr. Wilde?" Jenny nudged me at the side.

Jenny snapped me back from gawking and I quickly closed my mouth in a gulp.

"Uh, yeah...You, uh, you look good, Carrots."

Something squeaked out of Judy's lips, but it was too soft to hear. She couldn't keep eye contact with me and her face was looking perpetually red with embarrassment. I would have recovered sooner, but her humiliation somehow made it more awkward. It was all I could do to turn away and make for the door.

"Let's, uh, let's get going then."

I went from one beauty to another.

Jeanette was waiting for us in the hall, sporting her black dress from the bar two nights ago. Given the mud around the faire, I wagered she was more prepared than Judy was to get dirty. As before, she had on a more goth persona, complete with black earrings and lipstick. Her brow furrowed at the sight of Judy coming behind me.

Already starting out with problems before I even explained the situation...

"Hey, Red," I waved and put on a nervous smile. "Uh, listen. I have a favor to ask."

"She's coming with us?"

There was an indignant emphasize on the word 'she' in Jean's sentence. I winced while Judy froze in terror behind me.

"Look," I said, trying to hide the discomfort in my voice. "I forgot to mention yesterday. When Judy asked me to come to the burrows, she had intended to show me the faire herself."

"So, you wanted to bring her along?"

I was not having luck with women on this trip. Jeanette was giving a look of disappointment I hadn't seen since I was a kit. I was reminded of my mom, for a moment.

"...Yes?"

The moment of silence while I waited for Jeanette to respond allowed me to give myself my last rites. I was fully prepared for the quiet vixen to instantly explode in a fireball of hate and rage. She had every reason to.

Instead, she glared at Judy behind me and sighed.

"It's okay with me…"

But you owe me big time, was what she wanted to add at the end of that sentence. I could feel it.

I kept tense even though I had passed through largely unscathed. It felt like if I took a breath of relief, I would implode from the pressure. Behind me, Judy was shivering under the hateful gaze of Jeanette. Not so innocent of a vixen, indeed.

"Great," I said, still holding my breath and speaking fast before I passed out. "Uh-then-shall-we-carry-on-to-the-faire? Let's-not-waste-the-day-away. While-we're-still-young. Please."

Jeanette let out a satisfied huff and turned for the door.

I took a deep breath with the room feeling less stuffy, despite it being filled with rabbits. Judy must have sensed my relief, or shared in it. She gave me a passing apologetic look as she joined Jeanette outside. Seeing her face at the end of my confrontation made it all worthwhile. Darn those purple eyes.

Alright, Nick. One problem down. Now, you just had to keep Judy busy and help hide a million dollars. Easy as pie...

The ride to the faire went beyond the normal boundaries of awkwardness.

If there was such a thing as entropy in the universe, it would have been there in that pie delivery truck. We took familiar seats, with me in the passenger seat, Jeanette driving, and Judy in the back. I glanced back at Judy to find her doing her best to keep her white dress from getting dirtied on a floor covered in pie crumbs and mud. The thought came to me several times to offer her my seat, but that would have left her at the mercy of Jeanette for a neighbor. The vixen glared at me every time my eyes wandered.

I passed the time wondering why Judy had gotten dressed up for this.

We had been on plenty of outings together before, going to movies or out to dinner on the weekend for some occasions. I quickly put together that this was Jenny's doing. It had to be. I mean, makeup? Come on now, Judy and makeup went together like Clawhauser and dieting. But she looked, well, gorgeous. If it was Jennifer's intent to make me speechless, she had done a good job.

But what was Jenny playing at? Was she just trying to get under my skin, knowing I had given up Judy for Jeanette? See what you're missing, Mr. Wilde?

The missing answers to the half-cocked questions would have to wait. I had a date to manage, followed by a hustle to run.

We arrived at the faire shortly after ten, only to find it filled with rabbits. The out-of-towners hadn't caught wind of the celebration yet.

I found myself taking the lead into the faire circle, while Judy and Jeanette lingering behind me over opposite shoulders.

"Alright, ladies. What do we want to do first?"

From the center of the faire, we could see everything.

Stu had managed to get all the rides working in time the previous night, much to his relief. I could hear the screams of excited bunny kits while they glided along the baby rollercoaster right at the front. I knew that would be popular when I had helped Judy put it together. The mud situation hadn't improved and there were puddles around us, sprinkled with hay to keep mammals from sinking in like dinosaurs to a tarpit. Most of all was the food. Even when we were a mile away during the drive, my nose could detect the deep fried goods and candied apples being served.

Both Judy and Jean remained silent, looking at me expectantly.

"What? I'm going to have to decide?"

It was almost like the two had traded places. Judy was the one being reserved and quiet, while Jeanette had on a determined expression.

"Oookay," I trailed off, looking at our options. "Well...Should we start with what's first in the lineup?"

That just so happened to be the Water Pistol Racer, one of my favorites.

It was a pretty basic setup, with a counter implanted by about twelve different water pistols. Targets were set up on the other end of the stall.

All you had to do was pull the trigger and drench the bullseye for as long as possible while it bounced around. Whoever topped the tracker off first won and got a small prize. The only problem was that it was mostly designed for someone the size of a rabbit.

I paid the worker for the three of us and we began the game.

As expected, the controls were a challenge for me with my large paws. I sat between Judy and Jeanette as they both focused on the race.

Not even fifteen seconds in and the buzzer rang.

"Winner!"

I looked over to Judy. She had beaten the game with near perfect accuracy.

It was a small wonder. I had learned in my days at the academy, her weapons training scores had been flawless. That wasn't even mentioning she was the only one out of us who wasn't squat over an uncomfortably small bench. A fact that Jeanette was quick to remind her.

"Seems a little unfair to me," Jeanette said, with her arms crossed. "The pistols were too small for Nick and I."

Judy looked as if she had something to say to Jeanette, but instead only returned the glare she was receiving. I was starting to feel a little nervous sitting between them until the worker for the game came up.

"Nice job, Jude," he looked like a distant cousin or sibling, but you could never tell with a Hopp. "Pick your prize."

The worker gestured to the row above the targets.

It was lined with stuffed toys, cheap but cute. There were animals of every kind, colorful characters ranging from everything between elephants to mice. Even rabbits and foxes.

Judy glanced to the prizes, then to Jeanette. She tucked in her lip before facing the worker again.

"I'll take a fox," Judy said, defiantly.

If that was a sleight at Jeanette, I didn't understand what it meant. But Jean took offense to it, by the way she huffed like an angry bull.

Judy collected her prize, a tiny red fox doll that she held between her arms, and we broke from the game to let the next group in. Jeanette was glaring daggers at the toy, like she was trying to set it on fire with her mind. As before, I had to stand between them to keep them from going at each other.

"Uh, what next?"

This time, Jeanette spoke up instantly. "Let's go to the Pumpkin Painting station."

I shrugged in agreement and let Jeanette guide me by the paw straight to the set up nearby. Judy tagged along close behind.

The Pumpkin Painting was a small fenced off area of the faire off to the side.

They charged a small fee for admission, supplied you a pumpkin and paints, and then let you get to work. They let you keep the pumpkin afterwards. They were tiny little things that could fit in the palm of your paw. An elder bunny managed the station, mostly dealing with kits. She seemed surprised to see an older group, like us, interested in painting.

"How many pumpkins?" I asked as I dug out the cash to pay. "Three?"

"Two," said Jeanette. "One for us, one for Judy."

Judy gave Jeanette a quizzical look, but didn't protest.

We took our respective pumpkins and huddled over the plastic tables and chairs set up for decorating. Jeanette pulled her seat up close to me and sorted through the supplies we were left with.

"So," I began. "How do you want to do this, or…?"

"Just sit back and watch me work."

By that she meant I was only going to get in her way.

Jeanette was like a machine, taking a nearby marker and sketching a design on the pumpkin with laser precision. She was outlining some sort of drawing, and a very intricate one at that. Even the rough sketch she was making outshined the other kit's finished products. As she slapped the cap back on, she grabbed the brush and began to paint.

Her intense focus drew attention from other mammals around the table.

Many kits stopped what they were doing and looked at her with awe. Paint mixed with brush in an artistic fashion and she used techniques well beyond anything I could hope to do on my own. I had heard of speed painters before, but never of Jean's skill level. It was like watching a magic trick.

After ten minutes, she put down her brush.

"Done."

The crowd around us gasped and applauded at the piece of art Jeanette had produced on the once simple pumpkin. On it was a homely scene of a fresh baked blueberry pie, resting on top of a plaid cloth. The painting looked so real I could almost smell the pie. She handed the pumpkin to me with a smile.

"For you, Nick."

"Oh, uh, thanks, Red. It's beautiful…I didn't realize you were a painter."

"I work with a lot of cakes. Sometimes we get a little fancy with the decoration."

"Huh...Next thing you're going to tell me is you keep pet mockingbirds and practice archery."

As charming of a creation was, I honestly had no idea what to do with it. A painting you could hang on the wall, but a pumpkin was so awkward to carry around. Still, the pie picture was very realistic and I found myself salivating a little bit at the thought of lunch.

While I held up the pumpkin in admiration, I caught a glance of Judy across the table.

Judy had been determined to not look over to Jeanette once they started. But upon seeing what Jean had created, Judy threw up her pumpkin and gave up. Her painting had been nothing more than a sloppy drawn, but admittedly adorable, bunny face.

Judy and Jeanette shared glares at each other with their arms crossed.

I could sense some underlying tension between the two, but I was missing most of the context. It was clear they were having some sort of falling out, but what was with the competitiveness?

"Well," I said, continually trying to delay an all out brawl between the two. "What next?"

I wish I could say that relationships between Judy and Jean improved over the day. But they only got worse as the two competed more and more heavily with each other.

Everything we did, everything, was a contest.

We ran the gamut of all the faire had to offer. From the Ball Pit, to the Merry-go-round, to the Ring-the-Bell, to the Batting Cages, and to the Balloon Darts. Somehow, the two managed to turn everything that was fun about the faire into a battle of wills against each other. Even the eating.

For lunch, we got pulled into the pie eating contest. Never before in my life have I ever not wanted to eat blueberry pie. I gave up after halfway through my third, which made me sick. Judy managed to win the entire contest, somehow eating twelve pies. By the end of it, her stomach had bloated and she had gotten blue stains all over her dress.

Jeanette got a victory in at the Ball Pit, where the challenge was to find the golden ball. Foxes have stronger noses than rabbits, even if Jean ended up losing an earring in the process.

Then was the Merry-go-round...How do you even turn a Merry-go-round into a competition? I still have no idea, but somehow they managed it. Neither girl won and we got thrown off the ride by a very bitter carnival worker.

While the girls were busy battling each other, they didn't notice the subtle change in atmosphere around the faire. But I sure did.

It was slow, at first.

Kits were being kits, getting hyper off of candy and sweets before crashing hard after lunch. Some of the older kits, the high schoolers, were carrying some brown bags hiding bottles inside them. Later in the day, I began to spot a few beer cans in some of the adult's paws. Rocky was getting to work.

By the time the day was winding to a close, most of the other mammals had a buzz to them. Not outright drunk, though I suspect those who were had already stumbled home.

It was the nice kind of tipsy, where mammals could enjoy themselves...And not notice if something went missing, by chance.

Almost game time. Unfortunately, my attention was still elsewhere.

It was around five and already the sun was starting to go down over the horizon, typical for a early fall day.

Tension was at an all time high between Judy and Jeanette.

Both looked haggard and exhausted. They had done most of the running around, while I was content to take it easy and not get involved.

"Alright then," I said, clapping my paws together. "Well, I had...Fun. Are we done for today?"

"No!" The both of them shouted at once.

"Oh, come on, girls. We did everything at the faire. What's even left?"

"The Love Wagon," said Jeanette.

I gulped and glanced between the two of them.

I had noticed the tractor going around in circles, following the circumference of the faire. It was a cheap little thing, nothing more than a caboose being pulled by an old piece of farm equipment. The only thing that made it romantic were the pink paper hearts stapled to the railings and the fact that there was only room for two mammals at a time. The line had been pretty long at the start of the faire.

But now that everyone was winding down, and slightly drunk, the wait was more reasonable.

"I figured we were going to skip that…"

"No," continued Jeanette as she crossed her arms. "All day I've put up with her. All. Day. This is supposed to be a date, Nick. We could at least do something that's date-like."

My ears drooped. Jeanette was completely right, of course. Even Judy sensed that.

"Look, Jean," Judy said. "If you want me to, I'd be happy to step aside…"

"I want to enjoy what's left of this date. Alone with Nick."

Judy winced. "O-Okay, that's more than fair…"

"I want to hear it from Nick," she turned her ire to me. "Nick, tell Judy to leave us alone. I'd like our privacy back."

"You can't be serious…" I muttered. "Come on, Red. Judy said she'd be fine with it."

"I'm serious. What's it going to be?"

There wasn't venom in her words, but there was a lot of frustration.

Jeanette had been more than fair with Judy and I.

She had let Judy come along and put up with their silly little competitions all day. And now, it felt she was giving me a choice to see where the line in the sand was drawn. What mattered more to me? A relationship with Jean? Or my friendship with Judy?

I was dating Jeanette, not Judy.

In fact, I was trying to forget about my feelings for Judy.

To top it all off, there was the matter of the golden carrot which I would be helping to steal from Judy's family at any moment. Everything pointed to me dropping ties with Judy and using Jeanette would be an easy out to that regard. Judy was even offering to step aside.

All I had to do was tell Judy to go and she'd be out of my life. Maybe forever when all of this was said and done.

But then I looked to Judy.

Her ears were droopy and she was staring at her feet. Upset and prepared to leave. She was waiting for me to give Jeanette the obvious answer.

I sighed and said the only thing reasonable thing I could think of in that situation.

"Red. Judy's my friend and she's non-negotiable in this relationship. She's part of the package for being with me. I won't ask her to go away. Not even for you."

The words left my mouth, but I didn't quite comprehend their meaning until I saw the expression of outrage on Jeanette's face. This was contrasted by the wide-eyed look of relief from Judy, who kept a paw at her heart.

"Nick…" said Judy.

Jeanette let out a huff of resentment before stomping away.

When she was a reasonable distance away, I caught her wiping her eyes some. Looked like that bridge had been burnt, and Judy and I both knew it.

"Nick," Judy repeated, paw still at her chest. "That was…"

"Stupid?" I asked, trying to give her a smile. I sighed when I saw she wasn't buying it. "Well, so much for that."

"I'm so sorry…"

I shrugged. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Carrots. You coming along was my offer, my choice, and my mistake."

I just wish I knew why I picked Judy.

Things would have been easier if I had just left well enough alone. Jeanette was a great vixen and would have been perfect for a relationship with me. She even accepted my past life and actually liked me. I could have helped her manage her bakery and she'd have never known about the thing with Rocky.

Yet, given the choice, I had picked Judy without a second thought.

Evidently, whatever I told myself, I hadn't gotten over Judy yet.

I sighed, troubled by my own decisions and unsure if I could even trust myself with important choices anymore. Judy seemed to sense my discontentment and looked up at me, with her little nose twitching.

"You're upset," she claimed.

"No…"

I was just frustrated with myself. But that wasn't Judy's interpretation.

"I'll go talk to her."

I couldn't collect my senses quickly enough to stop her.

Judy slipped off into the crowd which had formed around us to eavesdrop. Darn yokels and their gossiping.

I was too late. Judy was gone.

I was starting to get a headache as I replayed the events of the day over in my mind, capitalized with the moment I had to choose between Judy and Jean.

It was cringe-inducing at best, and depressing at its worst. I walked along the faire with my head hung low.

The moment away from the girls allowed me to think some.

What did I just do? What did it mean?

No matter what I had convinced myself of, Judy wasn't going away from my life any time soon. I didn't want her to. No matter how complicated she made things for me.

But if I didn't get her love, what did I want from her?

"You're a better mammal…"

Bonnie's words from this morning bounced around my head in the mix.

A better mammal?

I sure didn't feel like it. A better mammal wouldn't sacrifice the vixen he was trying to date to keep a friend, would he?

I shoved my paws into my pocket and hit something sharp.

I pulled out a metal shield. My ZPD police badge. I forgotten I had even brought the thing with me on accident. I stared down at the silly icon, my name etched into the bottom bar. Why was it so hard to throw away?

The start of a theory popped into my head.

I had worked so hard for the stupid piece of metal. Originally, I had thought I did it to please Judy. To be closer to her. And while that was certainly a part of it, there was something else to it.

Satisfaction. Maybe? Pride? No...But certainly closer…

I compared it to my desire to join the scouts when I was a kit.

I was proving that a fox could be something more than what the world saw him as. A better mammal.

It was childish and stupid. Like a bunny trying to become a cop. The innocence of the idea was something I thought I lost the day I got muzzled. But with Judy...She brought it back out of me, kicking and screaming. Even if I wasn't aware of it at the time. She had a subtle influence that had changed me the longer I was around her.

That was it.

I wanted to be with Judy, as a friend or a lover, because she brought the best out of me.

Judy made me want to be a better mammal.

I smiled at the badge. The thought was conclusive and I felt like I had resolved something deep inside me.

...Just in time to see a semi pull into the faire.

With my badge in paw, I watched as Rocky beeped at a group of bunnies standing in the road so he could park next to the box and the golden carrot. The raccoon had another cigarette at his fangs with his hood pulled up. As he had predicted, most folks were too tired or too tipsy to pay him much mind as he worked to open the crate for storage.

I looked to my badge. Then to Rocky.

I sighed and tucked away the shield in my pocket.

Rocky saw me approach. "Nick! We should be seen together..."

"Relax," I said with a low voice as I leaned on the box to watch him work. "Look, can we talk for a moment, Rocco?"

"Now's really not the time, Nick."

"Well, I'm having second thoughts...Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm literally in the middle of doing this," he replied, hoisting the golden carrot into the air. "Don't tell me you've got cold feet. Mice have more backbone than you."

"Just hear me out."

I was trying to end this without causing a scene. In a lot of ways, Rocky reminded me of myself. Lost. But he could be more if he wanted to. Anyone could.

"Think about it, Rocky. The Hopps are going to know you were the one who stole it. Bonnie is already against you."

"They can suspect all they want. But without proof, they can't do a thing. Not unless I'm stupid about it."

"And what about Jenny?"

Rocky paused for a moment before he dropped the gold into the box.

"A means to an end. She shouldn't have been so naive to trust me like she did. It was completely pointless to date her, anyway. And the whole marriage thing was just a smokescreen to try to get closer with the family. It didn't work though. So, once they start accusing me of stealing, which I know they will, I'll have an excuse to break things off with her. Easy peasy."

I guess Judy was right. Some mammals never changed.

I had given Rocky every chance to pull out of the heist without anyone knowing otherwise. But the raccoon was dead set on nothing but the money.

I didn't want to do what I had to next. But he was leaving me no choice. We were doing this the hard way.

"Alright," I said, reaching into my pocket again as he stepped up to his truck door. "No more games. You're under arrest for attempted thievery."

"Pfff. Nick, you ain't no cop."

"Then what's this?" I held up my badge. "Officer Nicholas P. Wilde, ZPD. Judy's partner. And you've just loaded a stolen family heirloom into your truck. I have more than enough evidence to detain you, even though I'm off duty."

The dumbfounded expression on Rocky's face made me think that he might come away quietly.

"So, are you going to come quietly or do I have to—"

But that was too much to hope for.

Hot ash sprayed across my face. The little weasel had spat his cigarette at me.

As I wiped my snout, a hard foot connected to my chest and sent me flying from the truck and into the mud.

I heard the engine roar to life as I struggled to stand. Rocky was going savage, tearing off in the night with his prize in tow.

"Rocky, stop," I managed to choke out as the rubber of the tire kicked up dirt.

Rocky was stuck enough in the mud that he couldn't make an instant getaway.

I grabbed hold of the handle on the side of the semi and held on as he yanked me forward, along with his truck. I hung on for dear life, dangling like a flag in the wind.

Then the screaming started.


	16. Chapter 16: Make-up

Chapter Sixteen "Make-up"

I could feel my makeup getting ruined as I ran through the crowds. Going the entire day without reapplying meant I probably looked like a mess. But beauty was the furthest thing from my mind. I struggled to see over the horde and find the red fur of a fox.

Jeanette had stormed off without another word to me or Nick.

She had every right to be angry with us. I would be upset too if someone had come between me and Nick on our first date. It would be a cold day in the burrow if I ever let that happen.

I had ruined everything. Again.

No matter what reassurances Nick gave me, I was the one who had come along.

I was the one who asked Jenny to pretty me up before the date, since I knew nothing about beauty tips. What was I expecting to happen? I think my original intent was to look good for Nick, but I didn't consider Jeanette's reaction. The glares she had given me whenever Nick's back was turned...She must have thought I was trying to steal him away from her.

Though, I had to admit, Nick's first reaction to seeing me dressed up had done wonders for my self image...

I shook off the thought and focused. I remembered why I never wore dresses. They were terrible for running in.

Rabbits didn't have the best noses for tracking. But we did have the ears for listening. And among the loud chatter of fellow bunnies around me, I could hear the sniffling of someone crying.

The sound led me off of the main circle, into the empty side stalls of the faire.

Many folks were starting to pack up with the day winding to a close. The empty Balloon Dart stall I approached was no exception.

I found Jeanette hiding beneath the counter, using the hem of her dress to wipe her eyes. She didn't want to look up at me when I peered over the edge at her.

"Are you happy?" she asked me. "You won."

Happy was a poor way to describe it.

The fact that, if given the choice between a relationship and our friendship, Nick picked me had filled my stomach with butterflies. But it was a sour happiness when I knew it meant wounding Jeanette in return. Jenny had been right all along. Someone was going to get hurt in this situation.

There was nothing I could say that wouldn't come across as a sleight against Jeanette. So, I just took a seat next to her in the mud and rubbed her shoulder.

"Why didn't you just tell me you liked Nick?"

I winced. I guess that was obvious by the way I was acting. Nick probably even knew too…

I thought to deny her accusation, but there didn't feel like a point anymore. Not to Jeanette, at least.

"I...I didn't know."

"You didn't know?" Jeanette choked on her words. "How could you not know?"

"I'm just figuring this all out myself," I replied, groaning as I leaned the back of my head against the counter. "I don't know...I didn't even realize it until yesterday. Around the time when I had my fight with Nick."

"Well, fat lot of good that does me…"

"Jean, I'm sorry. I never intended this to happen. If I had I known before you approached me…"

"How didn't you know? It's so obvious…"

"I guess hindsight is 20-20," I played with my ears for comfort. "I don't know. I never gave it much thought. How are you supposed to realize something like that if you've never dated before? Everyone in my family, except Jenny, has only ever dated other rabbits. I figured I'd be the same if I ever met someone I liked."

I thought to all the times Nick and I had just hung out together. Not work related stuff. The quiet lunches together. The constant light hearted jabs at each other in the car. Texting to each other on the phone until we went to bed.

Jeanette was right. It was obvious.

"I just never put two and two together," I answered as I hung my head in shame. "You dating him must have triggered something. I think I was afraid I was going to lose him."

Jeanette let an annoyed huff, though I could tell there was less spite in her tone.

"I have no idea what to do now," I confessed.

"Yeah, well, join the club."

I could imagine the conflict Jeanette was facing after forcing the choice on Nick only to have it backfire on her.

My ears were down to my shoulders. I had sunk to an all-time low if I was going to be complaining about my problems to Jeanette.

To my surprise, Jean wanted to continue our conversation. Though she started with a heavy sigh.

"Look. You know what you need to do next if anything you told me is true."

"What?"

"Tell Nick how you feel."

It felt like someone had taken a heated prod to my neck. I covered my face with my ears.

"I-I can't…"

"Judy…"

"You're still dating him, technically. It wouldn't be fair to you if...if…"

Jeanette gave me a sour look of contempt. I gulped.

After the hearing Nick's choice, it shouldn't have been a surprise to me that Jean would have no desire to continue their relationship. But the glower in her eyes was still sad all the same.

"Try again," she said with a bitter resentment.

"I don't know...I'm just...I'm just afraid."

"What could you possibly be afraid of? You're Judy Hopps. You're the most famous mammal to ever come from Bunnyburrow. Everyone knows you're fearless."

I shook my head. "The big secret is I'm always scared. I got scared when your brother attacked me years ago. I got scared of Nick once during the Nighthowler incident and drove him away from me in the process. And now I'm too scared to make this step. I can't do it."

"But everyone looks up to you," Jeanette glanced down at me. " _I_ looked up to you."

"That only makes me feel that much worse about all this. I know _what_ I have to do but...Have you ever wanted to tell someone something, but you just find your tongue turning to mush? Like you're trapped inside a box, screaming to be let out but no one can hear you?"

"I do," she said to me with a blank stare. "Actually."

It didn't occur to me that the mammal I was talking to was Jeanette, someone who until this weekend I didn't know even existed because of how shy she was growing up.

My shoulders recoiled.

"Right...Sorry."

But Jeanette shrugged and looked straight ahead, as if trapped in a memory.

"After Gideon attacked you, I knew I had to make some changes."

"What? What do you mean?"

Jeanette glanced at me with a sorrowful, almost apologetic, look.

"It was my fault Gid was out hurting mammals the day you got clawed. I had been bullied by some prey children and he was trying to make me feel better by getting me a prize at the faire. He was bad at the games, so the tickets he was stealing were for me. He was just trying to be a good big brother in his own bad way."

"Oh," I replayed the events of that day in my head. "Oh! Oh, Jean. I'm so sorry...I...I had no idea."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You were only doing what was right. I chewed him out for it too when I heard what he did. I don't think he had ever seen me angry before."

I recognized the look of determination in Jean's eyes. It was similar to my own whenever I talked about being a police officer.

"After that day, I knew I had to start making some changes for myself, or else I would just be a burden for my brother to protect all the time. He would keep getting angry and might have hurt more mammals. So, I pushed myself to come out of my shell. And it eventually worked."

"That's how it all started? Gideon clawing me?"

"I...Wanted to tell you about it. But after Gideon only made nice to you recently, he didn't want to make you feel bad for what you did. It was a turning point for us, Judy. Never regret it, please."

It was hard not to feel bad about what I had done.

For years, I had looked at that moment as the point I wouldn't let anyone ever tell me I couldn't do something. I had no idea my actions had an impact on other mammals at such a young age. Even when Gideon came to me humbled years later…

"It's a small world," I whispered.

"I understand," Jeanette said, returning to me with kinder eyes. "It's scary to come out to someone like this."

"Standing up to bullies and arresting mammals five times my size sounds easier to do than this…I don't even know if Nick likes me in that way."

"Oh, I think he does."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well...I was wrong about how he felt about me. But that still can't dismiss his smell when we first met. He was working with you all day, right?"

I blushed. It made sense, for sure. But it still felt like wishful thinking.

"Even if I'm wrong," she continued. "You need to come clean, Judy. You're partners, so you're never going to avoid him. And if this mess has proven anything it's that the same thing will happen again if he catches someone else's eye."

"But what if he says no and it ruins our friendship?"

"Then it will suck, but at least you'll know for sure. You need to realize what I did all those years ago."

"What?"

"It's time to stop being afraid and get control back to your life. Or you're never going to get anything you want. Ever. I don't know about you but I'd rather die than live like that again."

I sniffled and then chuckled.

Jeanette was sounding more like my old drill instructor in the academy, Friedkin. The polar bear had the attitude that you didn't deserve a thing unless you worked for it.

The old fly or fall method.

It worked for me back then. Maybe it could work for me again.

I opened my mouth to give Jean my thanks, but I was cut off by screams.

Both our ears shot up as we listened to the screeching of a hundred panicking rabbits. It sounded like it was coming from the center of the fair. I was up to my feet instantly, my police instincts kicking in.

"Stay there," I commanded Jeanette as I hopped into action.

Running through the crowds of scattering bunnies was like being back on the academy obstacle course again. I bobbed to and fro in a dance to avoid being trampled. New sounds of splintering wood hurried my pace.

Something was crashing through stalls and destroying them, sending debris everywhere. My eyes caught the sight of a blurred vehicle skidding around the center ring.

When I arrived, I found that the skidding vehicle was actually a medium sized semi truck, plowing through the mud and rides alike. All of the workers around the carnival had taken cover and were out of the way of the speeding van.

But I did catch the sight of a mass of red fur dangling from the truck's side.

"Nick!"

Nick was too preoccupied with not being sent flying to notice my cries

It looked as if he was trying to reach the driver. Though at the speed they were going, I couldn't get a good look at who the perpetrator was.

There was nothing I could do to combat a thirty ton hunk of speeding metal from the ground while unarmed.

I was just going to have to trust Nick to incapacitate the driver safely. There were civilians to clear out so no one got hurt in the chaos. I leaned over and split the lowest layer of my sundress so I could move easier. Without a whistle or megaphone, this was going to be a challenge.

"Everyone," I shouted at the top of my lungs. "Please, remain calm and keep your distance! Stay to the sides!"

Thankfully, the patrons listened to me and I was able to get the situation on the ground mostly under control. Everyone took cover in the side stalls, a safe distance away from the carnage.

I winced as the truck plowed through the Batting Cages, sending baseballs flying in every direction. Whoever was driving the semi was trying everything they could to shake Nick off. Nick held tight though.

On their third circle around the faire, Nick managed to kick his way through the truck window.

The driver ceased his turning and made a beeline over the fence...Straight into the Love Wagon.

I heard the sound of grinding metal. It was like the truck was being put through a paper shredder. It ended with a sickening crunch.

I opened my eye to see what looked almost like a fatal crash.

"NICK!"

Ripping my dress allowed me move quicker, but even then I still wasn't fast enough.

As I approached the scene of the crash, there wasn't anyone moving.

My heart sank. It had ended so abruptly. So quick...

Folks said that when you were on the verge of death, your life flashed before your eyes. But as I neared the truck, I suddenly recalled every moment I had spent with Nick in the last year with perfect clarity. From first getting hustled by him to his choice of me over Jeanette.

And, just like that, it all faded away.

"Don't be dead," I whispered, biting at my lip so I wouldn't start crying.

You needed to be the police officer here, Judy. Be emotional later.

But I couldn't hold back my tears when I saw Nick's mass of red fur as he gasped for air out the truck window.

"Oh, thank goodness…"

Nick was unharmed, if a bit stuck in a web of twisted metal. His fur and clothes were going in every direction. He stared off in a daze until he noticed me standing there crying.

"Oh. Hey, Carrots," he wavered in a tone that made him sound unconscious. "I seem to be trapped here. Can you give me a paw?"

I wiped my eyes with what remained of my sundress before I ran up to the truck door. Upon opening it, Nick collapsed out into the mud, face first.

"Thank you," his reply was gurgled by the wet ground.

I was overtaken by a bizarre mixture of tears and laughter as I pulled Nick up and embraced him, being careful not to step on his tail this time. He seemed surprised by my reaction by the way he slowly patted me on the back.

"I thought you were dead," I mumbled into his chest.

"I was fine, Carrots," he said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Come on, we survived an exploding train together. Remember?"

It would have been funny how nonchalant near-death experiences had become in my life if not for the thought of losing Nick. You didn't really appreciate life until you had something to lose.

Or someone to lose…

The world around us slowed down. It felt like an appropriate time to come clean to him. Now or never, while emotions were high and I was feeling brave.

"Nick," I said with a sniffle. "I need to tell you something...I—"

"Judith Hopps!"

I cringed.

That was the concerned call of my mother. I recognized it anywhere. It was ingrained into my head as a kit.

I broke from Nick just as my parents arrived at the scene.

"Judy," my mom had on an expression of abject horror. "What on earth is going on?"

I had been so concerned about Nick's well being that I hadn't surveyed the damage the semi had done to the faire.

Every single ride had been hit in the chaos.

The Batting Cages was run through. The Rollercoaster was missing a chunk of its tracks. The Merry-go-round had lost a few unicorns. And the Love Wagon had become a complicated fusion of truck and tractor. Wood and prizes were scattered everywhere around us and smoke rose from the crushed engine of the semi.

Thankfully, no one looked hurt. Not even the slimy raccoon rising from the wreckage behind us.

"Rocco Larrs," I snarled.

Rocky stumbled forward until Nick caught him.

I knew this mess had something to do with the sleazy raccoon. Nick grabbed him by the back of the collar and hoisted him forward while I inspected the back of the truck.

There was a single wooden crate, smashed and scattered about on the ground.

Broken into two pieces at the tip, I saw the remains of my dad's prized possession. The golden carrot. I covered my mouth to hide my surprise. I tried to close the truck door to cover it, but I needn't have bothered. Dad was near enough to see it.

Dad never got angry.

I had seen him scared plenty of times. He had been frustrated before, but never to the point of raising his voice. Seeing the golden carrot, _his_ carrot, shattered into two chunks had caused a glowing spark to form in his eyes. Suddenly, dad didn't look so kindly and bumbling anymore as he turned to face Rocky and Nick.

"You," he snarled. "Both of you. Explain yourselves."

I could tell Nick wasn't in the mood for joking around in his usual fashion. I was reminded of an old saying. Fear a storm at sea, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle mammal.

"Well, Mr. Hopps," Nick said, speaking softly but holding his ground. "Rocky, here, had the idea to steal your golden carrot and leave you with no proof to pin the crime on him. He wanted to pawn it in the city and make out like a bandit. According to him, the carrot is worth a million dollars."

"It's worth a lot more than that, fox."

Both Nick and I shared a wince. It took Nick a moment to find his tongue to continue.

"I figured out he had been planning the heist and tried to stop him as best as I could."

"And why couldn't you tell me about it?" my dad snapped. "Or any of us? By Judy's expression, I don't think she knew about your little scheme."

Nick either had no defense for himself or chose to remain silent.

"I invite you into my home, fox. We shared stories and drinks, no less. And this is how you repay me? Do you have any idea how much damage you just did? How many mammals you almost hurt?"

"Dad, that's not fair."

"What's not fair, Judy, is decades of hard work undone in an instant thanks to him! Do you think anyone in Bunnyburrow is going to want to come to the Hopps Harvest ever again after this? Not to mention the cost to replace all of this equipment we lost. All because we had to invite a fox into our celebrations. He outright ruined this forever. For everyone!"

I was fuming at the words coming out of my father's mouth. "Dad!"

"Judy, you didn't even know this was going to happen. What if he was involved and he's just covering his tail?"

"He's not!"

"Actually, Mr. Hopps," Rocky interrupted us with his slithery tongue. "Mr. Wilde here was going to be my accomplice in the crime until he turned craven. Well, buddy, if I go down, you go with me."

"Ah hah! I knew it! I knew the moment I laid my eyes on this one, he's nothing but a dirty, no good—"

"Stuart Hopps, that's quite enough."

In an instant, my dad's string of curses sputtered and collapsed into a heap.

Mom had been quietly watching from the side and decided to speak up before dad could become hysterical. Only my mom could stand in front of a rampaging buffalo and get the buffalo to apologize for his behavior.

"B-But, Bon…I just heard it from Rocco's mouth..."

"And did you once consider that he might be lying to you?"

Everyone was looking at my mom surprised, but none more so than me.

After her disregard of Nick the first day we came here, I would have never expected her to come to his aid.

She stood between the two males, eyes burning at her husband and protecting Nick like one of her own kits.

"Honestly, Stu. You brought this on yourself, planting that stupid golden carrot in the middle of the faire every year. It was only a matter of time before some lowlife got the bright idea to try and steal it. Nick does his best to try to stop the robbery and now you berate him and blame him for everything."

Dad stood there with his mouth left ajar. "But...But…"

"No buts," she warned him with a stern finger. "Now, apologize. You're sounding worse than my father."

Most of the rabbits of the faire who hadn't fled in terror were gathering around the crash site. I could hear the gossiping whispers claiming bigotry and feel the judging stares. By the blush on dad's face, he felt it too. But he couldn't form the words to apologize.

Nick sighed heavily. "It's alright, Mrs. Hopps. I'm used to it at this point. I don't need an apology."

Classy, Nick. Dad really felt that one by how he winced.

But I could tell by the pained expression on Nick's face that he had just given up and wasn't attempting to be sarcastic. He looked tired. Exhausted, even.

"Carrots," he said, holding out Rocky's arm for me to grab. "Can you take the criminal scum for a moment? I think I need to sit down."

I knew walking away from a crash like that was insane. There was no way Nick wasn't shaken up from the experience.

I kept a tight hold on Rocky, wishing I had remembered to bring along my handcuffs with me on the trip.

Nick collapsed next to the heap of metal that remained of the truck and tractor. The scene looked like a death trap, with the hood smashed flat and the engine lodged through the rear end of the tractor. Nick was lucky to even be alive.

I wanted to sit down next to Nick and give him a hug. Just to make him feel better...No, come on, Judy. You had a job to do first.

We had to wait around for the local authorities to handle Rocky and I kept close to Nick so I could keep an eye on him.

Folks began to disperse with the show over. No doubt they would go home with a story to tell for the rest of their lives. Just another day as a ZPD officer though.

One mammal, however, didn't clear out with the rest of the crowd.

Jeanette strode up to Nick as he hung his head.

She had on her stern look, arms crossed and eyes sharp. Nick only looked up when she was directly in front of him. I recognized his forced smile anywhere.

"Heeey, Red."

"So," she said, surveying the wreckage behind him. "This is what you do for a living?"

"Yeeeah. Not the most glamorous lifestyle. But it's certainly rewarding in its own dumb way."

"I don't know if I could be with someone who constantly puts his life in danger like that every single day."

Nick cringed. "Breaking up with me, huh?"

"Sorry, but yes."

"No, no. I can't say I'm surprised given how today went. I'd be running for the hills too. But, I gotta say, this is the cherry on top of a particularly rank dung cake."

Jeanette frowned at Nick and loosened her rigid posture. Nick had his eyes closed and held his head in his paws, looking like he was fighting a headache.

"Things will get better, Nick. You'll find someone else." Jeanette glanced in my direction and winked without Nick noticing. "Might be you just don't know where to look yet."

"Right...Well, good luck with the bakery. I guess?"

"I'll see you around Zootopia, Mr. Wilde."

It wasn't often you saw someone get to Nick, but I could tell that this was the final straw to break his back. As Jeanette turned away, Nick slouched further into his legs.

I had to remind myself for a second time not to let the struggling convict in my paws go to give Nick a hug. On the ground, in the mud, I noticed the fox plushie I had won earlier. I must have dropped it in the chaos. It was dirtied and trampled.

Nick took in a sharp deep breath and fakely smiled again.

"Carrots, another favor. You mind if I step out for a bit? I need to take a walk."

Every instinct in my body told me to not let him wander off in case he did something stupid. But this was Nick Wilde. He never let anyone see they broke through the tough exterior of his mask. He was probably going somewhere quiet just to be alone for awhile. Maybe even scream.

It's what I would do.

"Sure…"

I watched him trail off down the road with the coming evening. Soon it would be dark out there, with him wandering all alone in the farmlands.

But I couldn't go to him until the local sheriff showed up.


	17. Chapter 17: The Long Road

Chapter Seventeen "The Long Road"

I think that was a contender for one of the worst days of my life. Let's go over all that had happened, Nick. Just for a final tally.

Not counting questionable sleep, we start with making your date jealous of your best friend for wearing her Sunday best. Then, the two of them proceed to compete with each other, resulting in no enjoyment of the faire whatsoever. While all this is going on, you're having an existential crisis about what you want to be doing with your life. Your date forces you to pick between her or your best friend, then storms off when you choose the obvious answer. You decide to do the right thing and confront a raccoon who wants to steal a million dollars from your best friend's family. This results in a horrible car crash where you nearly die. You get blamed by your best friend's specist father for all the damage caused in the chaos. And, to top it all off, your date breaks up with you.

That was an _impressively_ bad day. Like, you had to try to accomplish all that in order to fail so miserably.

The sun had long set and I was basically walking in the dark along a dirt road with no destination in mind.

I just needed to get away from rabbits. I was absolutely sick of bunnies after spending a weekend with a whole, crazy horde. Plus, I needed some serious time to think about what I had done.

I pondered the new resolve I had thought up. To be a better mammal.

So far, it didn't feel like it held much merit.

When the entire world was against you from the moment you made the decision to stick to your gut, you just had to question if you were being stubborn or stupid. I had seen dozens of mammals hold their ground on their ideals only for it to result in more misery. Was this another misguided venture and I was just being too blind to see it?

But then I thought of Judy...

No. My heart was in the right place. Everything that had happened had just been a perfect storm.

Though that was small comfort for me as I continued down the long road back to the Hopps household. The guilt of nearly falling so low was still there. I had messed up a great deal. You could say I got off real easy, all things considering. Though I still felt like I didn't really deserve Bonnie's protection in all that mess.

All the more reason to take my quiet leave.

The full moon from yesterday was now an imperfect circle, a slightly flawed orb in a sky of diamonds. So many stars...You never could see them all in the city. You'd never know just what was over your head without looking. But despite their beauty, I really missed home.

My plan was to arrive at the Hopps compound, pack my things, leave a note for Judy, and take the first train back to Zootopia. Judy was probably going to be upset, especially without me having said goodbye to anyone. But I just needed to go. I needed to be away for a while.

In the dark of the countryside, every light stood out like a roaring fire. From the homes dotting the hilly landscape, to the few street lamps along the road.

Cars rarely passed me by. So, I was surprised when I could feel the warmth of some headlamps on my back.

Then I heard a truck approaching.

"Mr. Wilde."

Gideon Grey halted his pink delivery truck off the side of the road, parking right in front of me. Though it was rabbits I was sick of, I couldn't exactly say I was happy to see him, of all mammals.

"Chief."

"Get in," he said, opening his passenger door for me. "We're going for a ride."

My instincts told me that was dangerous idea. I had just broken up with his sister, a vixen he was so protective of that he had threatened bodily harm to any mammal who wronged her.

But Gideon didn't have the look of murder about his face. His tired expression mirrored my own.

"Look, Mr. Wilde, I'm just here to pick you up. I ain't saying I'm too pleased about what went down between you and Jean. But I'm smart enough to know that sometimes things don't work out in relationships. I ain't gonna hurt you."

If I was in a better mood, I might have snorted at Gideon calling himself smart. No offense to the fox, but he was only slightly above a brick in the fields of common sense, based on my few interactions with him. But I sighed and climbed in.

"Who sent you?" I wondered out loud.

"You'll see."

"Very cloak and dagger. If I notice we're driving to the lake to dump off my body, I'm going to duck and roll out of the vehicle."

"I ain't gonna hurt you, Mr. Wilde," Gideon repeated. "But a favor was called on me and I don't have the heart to refuse it."

Though there was some intrigue there, I was too tired to pry Gideon for answers. I leaned back into the car seat and stared out into the dirt road as we drove along.

"How is she?"

"Jeanette? She was eating a gallon of ice cream, last I saw her. Not crying though, which is why I'm not very upset with you. She was just depressed. A fair sight of what you look like right now."

"A charmer you are not, Gideon Grey."

"I reckon after you destroyed the faire site, she could only do what was best for her. Sounds like it was a mutual break up. It's good you decided that early on. You're both sharp if you can recognize pitfalls from the start and know what you're willing to put up with."

"I'd imagine Stu is still cheesed with me."

"Actually, every time he grumbles Bonnie throws him a dirty look and he quiets down. He's just a little emotional, and rightfully so. Shame about Rocky though. I always knew he was trouble. That's why we stopped being friends when I turned over a new leaf."

"Rocky's been arrested then?"

"Yep. The sheriff has got him locked up in the county for now. His trial is probably going to be the big news around here for awhile. Folks sound outraged with him and how he almost killed mammals with his reckless driving. No mention of you in negative light though."

That was some relief off my mind. The guilt from even considering working with the raccoon tugged at my tail. I didn't deserve the lack of punishment I had received. I had been so close to making the wrong decision. It was scary to think about. My badge in my pocket provided me some comfort from such thoughts.

"That's a first with my reputation. A small victory for foxes in the sticks."

"I won't pretend that Rocky wasn't right about some of the things that go on in Bunnyburrow, Mr. Wilde. The rabbits can be a bit 'holier than thou,' but they're mostly good folks. It's a small town. If you do the right thing, mammals take notice. Folks are already trying to raise money to pay for the damages to Stu's festival."

"That doesn't surprise me, actually."

"He's refusing the help, of course. Stu has always been a 'do it yourself' type who doesn't like a helping paw patronizing him. He, uh, was mentioning thinking about selling the remains of his carrot to pay for everything..."

The thought of the once glorious golden carrot shattered into two pieces made me feel more guilt. The value of the item would drop, but it was still worth its weight in gold.

"I'll have to apologize at some point."

"Mr. Hopps doesn't like to be pitied, Mr. Wilde. Just let him come to you."

Just like his wife, huh?

I didn't have much time to mull over Gideon's words as he slowed his truck. We were coming to a stop. I glanced out the window but didn't see anything recognizable. Especially in the dark.

"Where are we?"

"Just head on out, Mr. Wilde. And good luck."

"Good luck? I don't like the sound of that…"

Reluctantly, I undid my seatbelt and stepped out into the chilly evening.

We were out in the farmlands, near a small brook that flowed between the properties. There was a short bridge with railings over the stream and under the moon. Quiet and picture perfect, like it was out of a painting.

Standing in the middle of it all was Judy, perched and staring up at the moon.

I heard Gideon pull away behind me, leaving us alone.

It had only been an hour since the incident at the faire. I thought I didn't want to see another rabbit in Bunnyburrow.

But I was wrong.

Judy looked over to me, having heard Gideon's truck pull away. Her amethyst eyes were her most striking feature in the dark. Under the moonlight, I saw a worried frown. She was concerned for me, probably after I walked off. Dumb bunny. I just needed some time to think.

Her dress was in tatters, with grime and mud, and her eyeliner smeared. But she was still more beautiful than any star in the sky.

"Hi," she said with a shaky voice.

"Hey."

She shied away from me, like my greeting had been offensive in some secret bunny language I wasn't aware of.

I climbed the bridge and leaned over the railing by her side.

"So," I said to lighten the mood. "I have the theory that you paid Gideon off to drive me here so you could ice me for ruining your parent's faire."

"Of course not, Nick," she thought about my idea for a moment. "If I was going to ice you, I'd just have Mr. Big do it when we got back to the city."

We both chuckled, though the curtain of awkwardness still weighed heavy between us.

Something was on her mind. I hazarded a guess on what it could be.

"Look, Carrots. About today…"

"Y-Yeah?"

How to make it sound like I hadn't made a choice between Judy and Jeanette out of love?

Of course I still felt something for Judy. More than ever before. Choosing not to lose her was a decision I would always make, never a second thought.

But looking at Judy and her expression of fear and uncertainty... I didn't think she was ready to hear what I had to say. Not yet.

That left only one option.

I took a deep breath. "I don't want to send you the wrong message, Fluff."

The look of hurt in her eyes told me I had said the wrong thing.

I backtracked.

"Okay, okay, that was a bad way to start...Listen. Today I made a difficult choice. But if you gave me the decision again, I would pick you. Every time. Because you're my best friend. And there's no one who's ever going to replace you. Not even someone I happen to be dating."

Doing good, Nick. But now came the hard part.

"But...I don't want to ever compromise the friendship we have. I feel like this week showed just how strenuous things can be in our crazy lifestyle. There's always going to be something in the way or some hurdle to cross. So, I'd like you to know that we're still friends. But we're just...Just friends."

The words had gone heavy on my tongue as they left my lips. But this is what I felt I deserved after everything I had done.

I studied Judy's face after my announcement. In the dark, even with my improved night vision, it was hard to read her expressions. Contemplative? Relieved? Sad? They all sort of blurred together into one unclear emotion.

I swallowed my nerves and continued to try and soften the blow for the both of us.

"I'm happy to be just friends. Aren't you? We're the best partners in the ZPD and we want to keep it that way. Right? And we'll always be friends and do stuff together. Nothing would change."

"Friends," Judy repeated the word. "Yeah...It would be better to just be friends."

I put on a fake smile.

This was going to be a long, tough road to go down together. But I could keep it up, as long as I needed to. Judy was worth it.

Time to test the new uncharted waters and break the growing awkward silence between us.

"So," I said leaning over the bridge. "Why did you bring me all the way out here?"

"Oh," Judy replied as she played with her ear. "Uh, I just wanted someplace quiet to talk. We used to come out here all the time when we needed a break from mom and dad."

"Well, it is quiet. I'll give you that…"

"Yeah…"

The night grew silent.

Nope. Still awkward. Think of something else to talk about, Nick.

"...How did you manage to recruit Gideon to get me here?"

"Huh? Oh. Jeanette told me about...About why he was bullying those mammals years ago. I, uh, called in a favor for hiding that from me for so long."

"Officer Hopps, that sounds so underhanded of you."

She let out an uncomfortable chuckle. "Uh, yeah. Jeanette and I had a long talk together."

"I was wondering how that went when you both disappeared."

"...It was hard. She was pretty upset with me. She had good reason to be. I was acting like a jerk to her all day."

"I'm assuming it well enough. You managed to convince her to break up with me, after all."

"I'm sorry, Nick…"

"Eh, it wouldn't have worked out anyway after all that had happened. Better sooner rather than later, as Gideon said. Don't get me wrong though, she was a good vixen."

"She was good...Nice, artistic, kind, brave…Brave..."

Judy stared off to the stream then glanced down to her chest. Her paw was placed where her heart would be. She looked like she was having a conversation with herself.

I gave her a quiet moment to think. Though I was desperate to know what was on her mind.

"...This isn't going to work," she said out loud.

"What are you talking about, Carrots?"

"Being just friends," she faced me with a sad look in her eyes. "I can't do it, Nick."

"Oh…"

My heart sank.

Judy didn't want to be friends with me if it meant I had potential feelings for her?

It seemed I was destined to have the absolute worst day of my life. My mind ran through a list of solutions. If we couldn't be friends anymore, what were we? Passing strangers? Co-workers and nothing more?

I knew it...We were just too different. A fox and a bunny. It could never work between us. And Judy didn't want to risk it. Not that I could blame her...

"Well," I said, struggling to come up with an answer to our dilemma but finding nothing satisfactory. "Is...Is this it then?"

"I guess it was pretty obvious," Judy said. "I'm...I'm terrible at this sort of thing."

"It's alright, Carrots. I understand. I'll make it easy for you."

With my ears low, I rose from my spot at the bridge and turned for the road. I didn't look back. I couldn't bear to.

"I'll be off then," I said with a wave.

"Nick, where are you going?"

"Don't worry about me, Carrots. Alright? I'll be fine. I'll just...I'll just head home. See you at work."

"Nick...Come on. Stop it."

Her voice cracked a little as I tried to ignore her.

"Nick…"

I felt like turning around would only make things worse for the both of us. Let's just end things with a simple farewell. Let's keep it clean, Judy.

In my mind, this would just be easier if it was done quickly. Like ripping off a bandage. The less lingering, the less tears. I kept my head low as I—

"I'm trying to confess to you, you dumb fox!"

My eyes widened and I stopped in place.

I turned around to see Judy standing at the top of the bridge, tears in the pit of her eyes. Her brow was furrowed and teeth bared in anger.

Upon seeing my face, her expression softened from rage to vulnerability again.

"I...I don't understand any of this," she said, looking away and playing with her ear. "I'm a dumb bunny cop from the sticks with parents who've hated foxes growing up. I've been clawed at and bullied by a fox. I even carried fox repellent when we first met. I'm the last mammal who should ever, ever fall for a fox."

She stared at me again and I saw her. The real Judy. The rabbit I was in love with. Vulnerable. Honest. Wearing the same expression of longing I always gave her whenever her back was turned.

"But I'm tired of being afraid of my own feelings," she continued. "I'm sick of hurting other mammals because I can't come to terms with what I want. And I'm done second guessing myself. I think I've known for a while, but when you started dating Jean...Something snapped, Nick. Something broke. And...And…"

She clenched her shoulders and hugged herself.

"And I'm scared. I'm so scared I'm going to ruin things by saying this. So scared it won't work and break us apart. It would be easier to just stay friends. To go on pretending you don't mean as much to me as you do. But I'd be so unhappy, Nick. I'd get...I'd get so sick of it. So...So...Here I go. Here's how I feel."

Her paws were trembling and she gulped.

"I...I love you. I've loved you for a long time. So...So, if you can't love me too, then tell me. Tell me and we can work it out. But you needed to know. You have no idea how much I've wanted to say that to you. To come clean and stop being afraid. But...It's out there. And now you know...So...So...Yeah..."

Then there was silence.

Judy looked to me, waiting for me to respond.

My face and eyes were completely neutral. But in my chest, my heart had turned into the engine of a F-22. My mouth was dry and my head felt like it had been struck by lightning from standing there like a pillock.

The irony was not lost on me. For days, I had been stressing about how to confess to Judy, only for her to come right out to me with feelings of her own. Just like Stu said she would.

All the pain, all the heartache of the past week vanished in an instant. What else could I do but laugh?

And so I laughed.

I laughed hard.

Harder than Judy certainly had ever heard me laugh. Or expected me to. The most I had ever given her was a forced "haha" whenever I told her a dumb joke.

Judy was taken aback by my reaction, at first.

She got annoyed quickly enough though, despite the blush she was wearing.

"Wh-What's so funny, you dumb fox? I spill my guts to you and the only thing you can do is laugh?"

I had doubled over, wiping the tears from my eyes. It was a struggle to get the words out.

"You...Poor...Dumb bunnies. So emotional…"

Judy was fuming. "Sh-Shut up! This is _all_ new to me!"

"Poor thing…You're so cute when you're flustered."

Was I being mean? Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent. But after suffering a horrible day, I thought it fair to be rewarded with some much-earned Judy teasing.

Judy was looking more like a tomato than a carrot, with her face all red. She tugged at her ears so hard, I was afraid she was going to rip them off.

"Nick, please, don't call me cute…"

"Sorry, Fluff. Can't help it."

I calmed myself down. All that laughter had been just what I needed to improve my mood. Judy continued to sway uncertainly in place, looking unsure of herself and unable to look me in the eye.

Don't tell me...Did she not know how I felt about her?

"You seemed concerned by something, Carrots."

"I-I'm confused, Nick…"

"What about?"

"Well...One minute you're depressed...The next you want to be just friends...Then you want to leave me...Now, you're in hysterics after I confess to you."

"Ah. You're worried you broke me."

I inched my way closer to her, though Judy didn't seem to notice.

"I...I just want an answer, Nick. Not knowing is driving me crazy. I can't think straight..."

I grinned from ear to ear as I leered over the distressed bunny. _My_ distressed bunny. She was so distracted by her own thoughts that she hadn't noticed I was in range of her.

"Well, we can't have that," I said. "Let me put it in a way you'll understand then."

She didn't even have time to squeak as I moved in for the kill.

It was a smooth kiss. The smoothest I had ever done, even though Judy came up to my chest in height. The trick to a good kiss was to not overextend your welcome. Catch them by surprise, hold for a few seconds, then break away with a slight nip on the lips. Leave them wanting more. Taunt them.

The expression of shock on Judy's face as her brain tried to process what had happened made the temptation strong to go in for another kiss. But I resisted and settled for a sultry smirk and a paw on her cheek instead.

"Judy Hopps," I whispered in a hushed voice. "Do I love you? Yes. I do."

It was Judy's turn to run the gauntlet of conflicting emotions I had just passed through.

By her breathing, she was failing to control herself mentally. I caught her as she stumbled forward into my arms. She buried her face into my chest, much like she had done after the crash earlier.

"Oh, thank goodness," she whispered with a shudder. "Thank goodness…"

I knew the feeling. The relief.

It was like a gulp of fresh air after realizing I had been holding my breath all my life. Internally, my mind was a fried circuit board on the fritz. Externally, my primal instincts took over. I had a prospective mate in my arms that I fully intended to protect and make my own.

Judy didn't resist as I reached around her legs and hoisted her into the air.

She settled into my arms, head pressed to my pecs. She was exhausted, bruised, and battered. All the stress of the day had hit her at once and she was on the verge of falling asleep. A cute smile was spread across her face as she closed her eyes tight in contentment. Her paw clenched the collar of my shirt.

I gave into my temptation by kissing her again on the forehead, which caused her nose to twitch.

"Nick," she asked me as I carried her across the bridge and onto the road. "What are we doing?"

"I'm taking you home, Fluff. This way to the house, right?"

"No. I mean, what now? Now that we're...We're a thing?"

Cloud nine gave out from under me and I was slipping briefly back to earth.

There were going to be consequences for this relationship. But I quickly decided those were for future Nick to handle. Right then, the moment was mine and I would enjoy it for as long as I could.

"We'll just have to figure that out for ourselves. We've got a long way to go."

* * *

 **A/N: Just because I'm a horrible person, I need to ask...How many of you would kill me if the next chapter was "...And then Nick woke up and it was all a dream!"**

 **But, woo! We finally got there! One more chapter to go, so I'll save my good byes until then.**

 **I wanted to make this note to give thanks to the wonderful Alana for putting together the new cover for Noots! Check out her stuff on her DA account (funkology) or on her Tumblr (nick-and-judy-daily), she does some pretty awesome work.**

 **And thank you to you all for reading. Let's wrap this tale up and move onto the next one!**


	18. Chapter 18: Sleep

Chapter Eighteen "Sleep"

You would never know what had happened on the bridge last night by looking at us that following morning.

Judy outdid herself in her professionalism, as usual. She was up by five and mostly prepared to get out the door thirty minutes later, even showering to get my smell off her.

Before you think of anything dirty, no. We did not have sex. Not yet.

After everything, we were both content to just pass out on the shared bed of Judy's room.

Judy slept on top of me, ears spread out over my chest and a calm smile on her face. My tail was wrapped around her, she had brought it close to snuggle with. I imagined I looked pretty pleased with myself. The rabbit of my eye had brought me into her den. As she dozed, I remembered stroking her ears. They were as soft and warm as I imagined.

I passed out somewhere around midnight and woke up to Judy's mad scramble to get moving.

"Not a word," she warned me as she peeked outside her bedroom door in the morning. "I don't want mom and dad knowing about this yet. That will cause a fight and we'll be late for work."

Work. That's right.

It was Tuesday and our long weekend was officially over. The trip was over.

We had made the plans from the start to ride into Zootopia early in the morning, taking the seven o'clock train so we'd arrive before nine. Just enough time to make it to the bullpen and get our assignments from Bogo. After spending so long in the sticks, it was strange to suddenly get back to work like nothing had happened.

I shrugged at Judy's request, still being drowsy and too content to argue. A hot shower would fix that right up.

While Judy packed, I went to the bathroom to take care of business. I just needed to get the smell of her off me, nothing too in depth. But the time alone did give me a moment to think on all that had happened last night.

We were a thing now.

Suddenly, everything was different. Every menial task was something new and foreign. I wasn't just showering before work. I was showing to go to work _with my girlfriend_. Or was she my girlfriend? We had never made it official last night with the words. There had been a lot of hugging, kissing, and snuggling. Maybe Judy was just using me as her personal love pillow. A fox cuddle machine as it were.

I smirked to myself. I'd be fine with that.

The nuances of the day before escaped me.

Most of the bad had been wiped out by kissing Judy. But there were cracks in the wall. I gazed down to my chest to find that the blue pie stain from three days ago had vanished.

Jeanette...I'd have to make things up to her somehow.

Then there was the Hopps Harvest...Oh, jeez. That's right.

Rocky and I had trashed the place. Judy was absolutely correct. Mentioning our newfound relationship to her family was a surefire way to cause more drama in an already tense situation. I was suddenly very glad we would be leaving in just an hour.

But the creeping dread of future thoughts was silenced when I saw Judy waiting outside the bathroom door, tapping her feet.

"Nick," she said with her brow furrowed. "Come on. I forgot to brush my teeth."

I chuckled. "We've been here before, Carrots."

She ignored me, trying to squeeze past to get into the bathroom.

Though we were pressed for time, I wanted to play with her some more.

I kept a strong arm across the door frame, catching Judy in my grasp. She quickly realized she was trapped with me looming over her wearing nothing but a towel. Her ears drooped and the look of delicious fear crept over her face.

I leaned in close to whisper huskily.

"You know...You could have just walked in. I wouldn't have minded."

"That would have been…"

"There's nothing you aren't going to see eventually, Judy," saying her name caused the cutest twitch on her nose. "We're together now, right?"

"We...we..."

I had come to learn in the last night that Judy tugged at her right ear whenever confronted with embarrassing feelings of lust and love. She kept brushing the end of her ear, trying not to make eye contact with me.

"Well, Officer Hopps? What am I to you?"

The question carried little weight to me, but to Judy it was an elephant on her back. I leaned in closer, watching her feet squirm.

"You...You're my—"

I cut her off with a kiss, quick enough to catch her off guard.

I pulled away just as she wanted more, grinning all the way. She was very much the prey in our relationship, while I gloated being the predator.

"Partner?" I asked with a smirk. "You're in trouble, Carrots, if a little morning foreplay is all it takes to get your tongue tied."

The sleight on her composure was all it took to snap her back from her dirty thoughts.

She huffed and broke from my arms, slamming the bathroom door behind her.

I chuckled. I was probably going to pay for that in some way later. But there was a purpose to the encounter.

I was testing to see where the line was.

As I've said, I've never been in a relationship with a rabbit, much less anyone who wasn't a fox. But I knew the rules of starting a new romance. You needed to find what the boundaries of someone were. Most of that would come with time, naturally talking with each other and finding likes and dislikes. But with Judy, it was different.

Besides being a bunny, Judy was also my best friend. That meant I knew her better than someone I had just met, including how she handled basic social interactions. But how she handled her _love life_ was a complete mystery to the both of us, with Judy having never dated before. It was a puzzle for me to solve. Unexplored territory into the libido of Judy Hopps.

How did she handle kisses on the neck when she wasn't looking? What was her most ticklish spot? Did she mind getting bitten when we were hot and heavy? Most of the questions I doubt even Judy knew the answer to. That only made the temptation to explore them that much more enticing. Like a locked box that only I had the key to.

But that was fun for later. I had precisely thirty seconds before Officer Toot Toot finished brushing her teeth and scolded me for slowing us down.

I shook myself to dry off, not caring that I was probably leaving a mess everywhere.

I went for what was left of my clothes for the weekend. My blues were at work, so I settled on my final outfit. A nice clean set of slacks and a white shirt. The classic. I stuffed everything else in the bedroom into my bag and zipped it shut with some difficulty.

How is it that you always seemed to end up with more than what you originally came with?

By the time I had packed up and gotten changed, Judy still hadn't come out of the bathroom. I frowned and listened carefully. The water was still running but I couldn't hear what she was doing.

Well, if something was wrong, she'd probably call for my help. Getting paranoid this early on in the relationship was a sure sign of clinginess. Not an attractive look.

Instead, I got to work gathering up my bag and fixing my fur before heading out into the main Hopps home. I was almost going to miss the tiny hallways and paper-thin walls. The smell of pie all the time. Not too much though.

The sun was just coming up over the horizon by the time I entered the living room.

Most of the older Hopps were up and in the fields already while the younger kits were still fast asleep. Only one rabbit was awake and sitting in the kitchen. I shouldn't have been surprised to see who it was.

"Morning, Mr. Wilde," said Jenny as she sipped on her coffee.

"Hey, good morning."

There was a sly smile under her mug. "A good night?"

"Couldn't have gone better."

"Good. I'm happy for you two."

Jenny had caught a glance of us from her door before Judy dragged me into the bedroom last night. Even if she hadn't, I wouldn't have been surprised if Jenny managed to piece everything together on her own. Given how she had been the one who dolled Judy up before the faire yesterday, I had a hunch it had been her intent to subtly work us in the right direction.

But memories of the faire brought a certain raccoon to my mind and I frowned.

"You okay?"

Jenny paused in mid-drink. The smile had run away from her face.

"I'm an adult, Mr. Wilde. I can make my own decisions and handle my own problems. It was stupid of me to get emotional with Rocky, especially after his proposal to me."

When she looked at me, I recognized the sleeplessness in her eyes.

"...But to answer your question. No. I am not okay. But thank you for asking."

"No problem."

After what happened, I couldn't help but feel like I owed the bunny some sort of debt. But her expression told me to tread carefully.

"So, what are you going to do?" I asked.

"Probably let the little rodent stew in his own mess while he's doing time. The way I see it, I don't owe him a dang thing. It'll sting for a little while, but I'll get over it. Then I'll bounce back. Rocky's not the first one who's played with my heart and he won't be the first to suffer my wrath later for it. Most predators think they can take advantage of me because they think I'm some meek country bunny."

I snorted as I poured myself some coffee. "Oh, woe to them. I pity the fool who tries to pull that on you."

"Smart fox. I knew I liked you the moment we met. My sister is a lucky bunny."

Jenny frowned at some thought.

"I know the thing with Jeanette was Judy's own stupidity," she continued. "But if you ever do anything to ever harm her..."

Jenny was definitely the closest to her mother out of all the Hopp siblings. I recalled being threatened in the exact same way by Bonnie a few days ago.

I smiled warmly at Jenny and spoke the truth.

"You have nothing to worry about. I plan on doing everything I can to make Judy happy. In fact, I'd even like to make it up to Jeanette. If only to prove I'm not a bad fox."

"I know you're not a bad fox, Mr. Wilde. You've done the unthinkable, something I didn't think I'd ever see. Despite all the young bucks lining up to ask Judy out when we were growing up, she turned every one of them down. You got her to want something other than her career. Be proud of that. But not too proud. Don't want to inflate your ego."

"Sorry, I can't hear you up here in the clouds."

She chuckled. "And you are a good fox, Mr. Wilde."

"No," I responded. "But I'd like to think I'm getting better."

"It sure will be quiet around here with you two gone. Mom wanted to say her goodbyes, but she needs to manage the field so we can get back to finishing the fall harvest. Dad will be up soon to drive us to the train station."

"Us?"

"I still want space from mom," Jenny said with a shrug. "She'll be intolerable when she has the 'I told you so' expression on concerning Rocky. So, I'll be tagging along to see you guys off at the train then going back to manage the stand with dad. After that, who knows? Maybe I'll visit you both in a couple of weeks to see how you're doing. I just need a break from crazy parents."

Everyone was going back to work, it seemed.

The vacation was over, though I felt like I needed a vacation after the vacation. Some relaxation time, curled up on the couch with Judy in my arms. The next weekend couldn't come fast enough and there was still so much to do before then.

As I finished up my coffee, Mr. Hopps stumbled into the kitchen. He stopped in place when he saw me leaning against the counter.

"M-Mr. Wilde…"

"Stu. Morning."

In truth, I was in too good a mood to hold the words tossed at me yesterday against the bumbling bunny. Stu had been angry. And we did stupid things when we were angry. I would know. He had been partially in the right anyway, if it wasn't for my change of heart.

If it wasn't for Judy...

Besides all that, the best way to beat hatred was with kindness and honesty.

But there wasn't anymore hatred in Stu's eyes as he shuffled around me to the sink. More nervousness and fear, like he was expecting me to pounce at him when his back was turned.

As the awkward silence filled the kitchen, Jenny showed the impatience of her foul mood.

"Dad…"

"H-Hang on, Jen. I ain't ready just yet."

I raised an eyebrow. There must have been something I was missing.

Stu looked like he was preparing some sort of announcement. He took a big glass of water, chugged it, and then fixed his collar. His ears were held low as he turned around to face me.

"Mr. Wilde," he said, looking down at his feet. "It has come to my attention that I may have acted a little out of line yesterday."

"A _little_ out of line?" Jenny questioned. "Dad, folks are gossiping how you're now considering ending your partnership with Gideon after the stuff you threw at Nick."

"Okay! Okay! I was a major jerk. I said quite a few things I didn't mean after you saved the golden carrot. It was all my fault it even happened anyway. It was me and my dang pride that kept that old thing on display. Like Bon said, it was only a matter of time before someone up and tried to steal it. And we'd have never known who did it or someone could have gotten hurt if it wasn't for you. So, I'm truly sorry for my behavior."

I waved him off. "It's alright, Stu. I'm never going to hold that against you. We can all act a little noots in the heat of the moment."

At the mention of his family's inside joke, Stu's face lightened up a little.

"Nevertheless, I'd like to make it up to you and show you some country hospitality for a change. Especially to make up for the lousy weekend."

I wore a blank expression.

My first thought was being forced to come back to Bunnyburrow for a hoedown or a hootenanny or whatever rabbits did for fun around the sticks. As glad as I was to finally work things out with Judy, I think I wanted to go home and stay there.

You know, just for another year or two. Or ten.

"As you know," Stu continued. "The carrot was broken into two pieces from the crash. We figured it would be a fine time to sell the dang thing for what it's worth. We don't know what that final price is going to be, but...We, uh, we wanted to give you the share of the smaller bit that broke off."

I could feel my eyes widen in surprise. "You can't be serious...That could be over a hundred thousand dollars."

"It's a lot, yes. But it would be a good way to seem sincere. We've never had a need for the carrot's value anyway. The rest of the money is just going go towards repairing the damages at the Harvest, and even then there will be plenty leftover. You're Judy's best friend. And part of the family, as far as I'm concerned. It's more than fair, in my eyes."

That was certainly one way to put it. Did Bonnie put Stu up to this? Once again, I couldn't comprehend the baffling nature of these rabbits. Especially with the guilt I was still feeling.

"Stu, I wouldn't even know what to do with that kind of money."

"I won't take no for an answer."

It wasn't that the temptation wasn't there to accept that kind of cash. But on me it felt so undeserving. No one knew that I had honestly been considering working with Rocky the whole time to steal the gold in the first place. If I took Stu's money, that would just make me feel horrible and it'd never see use. I'd probably just give it to someone else.

That's when I had a clever idea.

"Alright," I said, crossing my arms. "But hear me out. I have a special request."

Stu raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it then."

"Gideon's sister, Jeanette, has the idea to move into the city and start her own bakery. Believe me when I say I know how hard it would be to finance that dream. I wanted to make up for our break up yesterday by giving her a loan to get her business started. But I want to do it without her knowing it was me. So, my request is for _you_ to offer her the loan instead."

"That's...That's mighty kind of you, Mr. Wilde," Stu said somewhat surprised. "Are you sure?"

"She'll put it to better use than I could," I said, winking to Jenny.

"Very well. I'll pass it along to her through Bonnie. She's sweet on Jean."

"I'm glad."

That would at least make up for some of the trouble we had caused Jeanette this weekend. I'm sure Judy would be happy about the idea too.

At that moment, Judy walked into the room with her bag in paw.

"Ready to go," she said, though she had the expression that suggested she was hiding something.

"Everything good, Fluff?"

"Y-Yeah," she replied. I noticed Jenny had cast a knowing look at her little sister. "Let's...Let's just get going. We don't want to be late and miss the train. Bogo will kill us."

"Just pack up the truck and we can head out," said Stu.

Everything was stowed away in fifteen minutes.

By the time we left the house, it was around six and the sun had just broke through the horizon, giving the burrows a golden glow. On the porch, a few of the kits had woken up to wave goodbye to Judy and I.

Even Pop-Pop managed to crawl from his bedsheets and gave me some parting words about potential marriage to Judy. I had to explain to him that I was way too young to be thinking about that yet. Give it a year or two and you might have a fox grandson-in-law, if things went well.

Judy and Jenny shared seats in the back of the Hopps truck while I rode passenger with Stu.

There wasn't much left to say besides our farewells, especially after Stu had made his apology to me.

I asked him to give Bonnie my best, which he guaranteed me he would. I had a promise regarding my mom to keep to Mrs. Hopps as soon as my work day was over. One that I fully intended to keep as the start of a penance.

When we reached the station, we had a half an hour to kill before the train arrived.

The goodbyes were slow and sweet, with Judy hugging both Stu and Jenny. Plenty of 'I love you's' and promises to call in the future. Jenny even gave me a hug and Stu was brave enough to grant me a firm pawshake.

"Come back real soon now, you hear?"

"Count on it," I lied.

We could finally break away when the train pulled up.

Ten minutes ahead of schedule, typical for rabbit public transportation. I could breath a sigh of relief as we stepped off the platform, waving goodbye one last time.

Good bye, Bunnyburrow. Were I to never see you again, it would be too soon.

Judy shared in my sentiment as the train pulled away.

"Thank goodness," she muttered as she collapsed into her seat.

"Oh, come on, Carrots. It wasn't _that_ bad of a trip."

I couldn't say that with a straight face, especially with the glare Judy was giving me.

"It's going to be another six months before I even consider going back home."

"Good," I leaned low to whisper into her ear. "That means we get more time to _ourselves_ then."

"N-Nick, come on. Not here."

"If not here then where? We have a two hour train ride ahead of us, followed by eight to ten hours of work. We should probably use that time to discuss us, right?"

Around us were a bunch of rabbits from the burrows, chatting and blissfully unaware of the heated words I was sharing with Judy.

I leaned back into my seat, sharing the same look of concern Judy was wearing as the gravity of our new relationship finally hit us.

When were we going to discuss to these new feelings for each other if not on the train?

We had a full day of work after the ride. I needed to know where we stood before then and what our plan was going forward.

"We can't keep it hidden forever," I warned Judy. "Everyone's going to eventually figure it out. Jenny already knows what's up."

"Oh, crackers," Judy whispered as she hugged her legs to her chest. "Our co-workers…"

"I bet Clawhauser is the first one to put it all together. Once he figures it out, it's all over. Everyone in the precinct will know."

"I know…"

"I imagine that the TV news is going to love it. 'Officer Hopps and her exclusive fox partner seem to be the latest celebrity item. More at eleven.' Views are going to skyrocket. They've already been pitching that idea around for months."

"T-They have?"

"You don't watch the news much, do you, Carrots?"

"Well, according to one fox, I live in a hole in the wall."

"Fair enough. My point is that it's only a matter of time, Fluff. Nosey mammals have already been talking about us. This is going to come out eventually. So, why not sooner rather than later?"

"Because it scares me Nick. You know what Bogo is like when it comes to fraternizing in the workplace. He'd split us up. Then there's my parents...Crackers, this is going to send my mom into conniptions."

"Call it a hunch, but I don't think Bonnie would mind as much as you think she would."

"Regardless! I'm just worried, Nick. I'm scared what everyone's going to think of all this. I know you're right. But this is still new to me. I've never done this before. You know I haven't. I'm still scared I'm going to mess this all up. And I don't…"

Judy paused and looked down at her feet.

"...I never want to hurt you again."

I frowned as Judy slumped further into her chair.

Alright, Nick. Your new love interest is worrying about your future together. What can you say to make her feel better?

"Carrots," I began. "To be honest, all this scares me too. And I'm not going to sit here and pretend there aren't going to be some obstacles to overcome. But…You make me want to be a better mammal. And I want to believe in this. In us. I will do everything I can to make this work. There's only one mammal in the entire world who could make Nick Wilde go straight after he spent twenty years hustling for a living. Judy Hopps, you are one amazing mammal. And I love you for it. With all my heart. What happens next, we face together. Right?"

I've always had a way around big speeches, little moments to inspire mammals. Usually, they were for hustling folks. But I meant every word I said when it came to Judy. And, by the look in her eye, she knew that too.

"...Right," she said, smiling and hugging my arm. "Partners?"

"Partners."

"Thanks, Nick. I needed to hear that."

"You know you love me."

"Do I?" Judy yawned and rested her head against my shoulder. "Yes. I do."

Five minutes into the ride home and Judy was sleeping against me.

You'd never know how much of a handful she was from watching her dozing. Or how amazing a mammal I knew she could be.

It took someone special to inspire you to reach for greater heights. To snap you out of a funk you never even knew existed.

Looking back, it felt like all my days hustling were just a holding pattern until Judy stumbled into my life. Like I was the walking dead and she breathed new life into me. If I had known her even a few years earlier...

But regret was a wasteful thing, or so my mom would say. And we had a future to build together and work to do. Even though I could watch her sleep all day...

I glanced out the window into the passing golden trees on the landscape. Soon that'd disappear into the suburbs before we reached the outer districts of Zootopia. Then we'd face the fun of a full day of ZPD work. Complete with Bogo screaming, Clawhauser gossiping, and terrible cafeteria food. Back to the grind, as they said. Following the worst vacation of my entire life.

Given the choice though? I'd do it again. Every time. For her.

Ten minutes into the ride home and I rested my own head on top of Judy's.

I closed my eyes and finally, finally drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Hey, we finally got there! My first major fanfic done and dusted!**

 **I'm not going to pretend it's been a flawless story, but I enjoyed writing it a lot and it taught me so much for the next tale. And trust me, there will a next story.**

 **To those of you who have stuck around until the end, thank you very much. I've read each of the comments. The words of support have been awesome. I've made some amazing friends (you know who you are) in the process. And the feedback has been constructive and helpful. You all have my deepest gratitude for joining me on this strange trip.**

 **So, where do we go from here?**

 **I'd like to take the time to announce what the next story I'm cooking up is:**

 **This time, we're going with an AU story that's sort of a role reversal between Nick and Judy. The plot is, after getting assigned to Bunnyburrow, Nick is trying to find his way back to his family with a job in precinct one, back in Zootopia. The problem comes in the form of Judy, who is the town troublemaker and a punk to boot. It's a tale of the two butting heads and coming to terms with each other, both growing in the process. That's all I can say without there being major spoilers. There's a lot of music and some pretty sad moments so far. And it will be much longer than Noots was (I'm writing chapter 23 as of posting Noots' final chapter).**

 **If that kind of story interests you, stick around. The plan is to be finished writing it in about a month. Going to take my time with this one though and learn from my mistakes with Noots, with editors and beta-readers.**

 **Keep your eyes posted for the Punk of Podunk. And thanks again.**


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